title: Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism modulates the effects of social support on heart rate variability.
abstract: A large body of empirical research has demonstrated stress-buffering effects of social support. However, recent studies suggest that genetic variation of the oxytocin system (specifically, a common single nucleotide polymorphism, rs53576, of the oxytocin receptor gene) modulates the efficacy of social support. The timing and neurobiological basis of this genetic modulation were investigated using a standardized, laboratory-based psychological stress procedure (Trier Social Stress Test for Groups, TSST-G). To index potential stress buffering effects of social support mediated by the oxytocin system, heart rate variability (HRV) was obtained before and during the TSST-G from 40 healthy participants. Results indicate that social support is associated with higher HRV only in G allele carriers. Specifically, social support increased heart rate variability during direct social interaction and only in individuals with at least one copy of the G allele of rs53576. These findings support the idea that the stress-attenuating effects of social support are modulated by genetic variation of the oxytocin system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Biological Psychology, Technical University of Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Magdalena K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kanthak
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: frances.chen@psych.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Frances S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumsta
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: LaBarron K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
authors.forename: Julian F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Thayer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: heinrichs@psychologie.uni-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinrichs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics*; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin
keywords: Autonomic; Heart rate variability; Individual differences; Molecular genetics; Oxytocin; Stress-buffering