title: Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphisms and Early Parent-Infant Interactions Are Related to Adult Male Heart Rate Response to Female Crying.
abstract: Adults' adaptive interactions with intimate partners enhance well-being. Here we hypothesized that adult males' physiological responses to opposite-sex conspecifics' distress result from an interaction between an environmental factor (early social interaction with caregivers) and a genetic factor (a polymorphism within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene, 5-HTTLPR). We assessed heart rate changes in 42 non-married male adults to distress vocalizations (female, infant, and bonobo cries). Males' early interaction with parents was assessed using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Buccal mucosa cell samples were collected to assess their 5-HTTLPR genotype. A significant interaction emerged between early experience and genetic predisposition. Males with a genetic predisposition for higher sensitivity to environmental factors showed atypical physiological responses to adult female cries according to their experienced early maternal parenting. Environmental experiences and genetic characteristics are associated with adult males' physiological responses to socially meaningfully stimuli. Understanding the mechanisms that modulate responses to opposite-sex conspecifics may improve personal well-being and social adaptiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoRovereto, Italy; Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, Brain Science Institute, RIKENSaitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Truzzi
authors.affiliation: Child and Family Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Marc H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.affiliation: Psychometric Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Senese
authors.affiliation: Unit of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Nagasaki University Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Setoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoRovereto, Italy; Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological UniversitySingapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esposito
keywords: gene* environment; opposite-sex conspecific interaction; parent-infant interaction; physiological responses; serotonin transporter gene; social distress