The association between 2D:4D ratio and cognitive empathy is contingent on a common polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR rs53576).
Both testosterone and oxytocin influence an individual's accuracy in inferring another's feelings and emotions. Fetal testosterone, and the second-to-forth digit ratio (2D:4D) as its proxy, plays a role in social cognitive development, often by attenuating socio-affective skill. Conversely, oxytocin generally facilitates socio-affiliative and empathic cognition and behavior. A common polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene, OXTR rs53576, has been repeatedly linked with psychosocial competence, including empathy, with individuals homozygous for the G allele typically characterized by enhanced socio-cognitive skills compared to A allele carriers. We examined the role of oxytocin and testosterone in collectively contributing to individual differences in cognitive empathy as measured by Baron-Cohen's "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" task (RMET). Findings are based on a large cohort of male and female students (N=1463) of Han Chinese ethnicity. In line with existing literature, women outperformed men in the RMET. Men showed significantly lower 2D:4D ratio compared to women, indicating higher exposure to testosterone during the prenatal period. Interestingly, variation in the OXTR gene was found to interact with 2D:4D to predict men's (but not women's) RMET performance. Among men with GG allelic variation, those with low fetal testosterone performed better on the RMET, compared to men with GG and high fetal testosterone, suggesting greater identification of another's emotional state. Taken together, our data lend unique support to the mutual influence of the oxytocin and testosterone systems in shaping core aspect of human social cognition early in development, further suggesting that this effect is gender-specific.
Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA. Electronic address: omriwei@yahoo.com.
Omri
O
Weisman
Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
Kevin A
KA
Pelphrey
Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
James F
JF
Leckman
Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel.
Ruth
R
Feldman
Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Yunfeng
Y
Lu
Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Anne
A
Chong
Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, Risk Management Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Ying
Y
Chen
Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Mikhail
M
Monakhov
Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Soo Hong
SH
Chew
Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: rpebstein@gmail.com.
Richard P
RP
Ebstein
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000886:Anthropometry; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004645:Empathy / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin
2D:4D; Empathy; Fetal estosterone; OXTR; Oxytocin; RMET; Social cognition