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Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Is Associated with Pair-Bonding and Social Behavior
Open accessAbstract
Background In specific vole and primate species the neuropeptide oxytocin plays a central role in the regulation of pair-bonding behavior. Here we investigate the extent to which genetic variants in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) are associated with pair-bonding and related social behaviors in humans.Methods We first genotyped twelve single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TOSS (Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden) (n = 2309) and the TCHAD (Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development) (n = 1240), comprising measures of self-reported pair-bonding behavior. In the TOSS sample we further investigated one of the SNPs for measures of marital status and quality. Moreover, in the TCHAD sample we explored the longitudinal relationship between precursors of pair-bonding during childhood and subsequent behavior in romantic relationships. Finally, in the TCHAD study and in the Child and Adolescent Twin Study of Sweden (CATSS) (n = 1771), the association between the same SNP and childhood behaviors was investigated.Results One SNP (rs7632287) in OXTR was associated with traits reflecting pair-bonding in women in the TOSS and TCHAD samples. In girls the rs7632287 SNP was further associated with childhood social problems, which longitudinally predicted pair-bonding behavior in the TCHAD sample. This association was replicated in the CATSS sample in which an association between the same SNP and social interaction deficit symptoms from the autism spectrum was detected.Conclusion These results suggest an association between variation in OXTR and human pair-bonding and other social behaviors, possibly indicating that the well-described influence of oxytocin on affiliative behavior in voles could also be of importance for humans.
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“Results from studies in non-ASD populations have also linked OXTR polymorphisms to other measures of social behavior, such as empathy13, prosocial temperament14, and pair-bonding behavior15.”
From Effect of age and autism spectrum disorder on oxytocin receptor density in the human basal forebrain and midbrain (2018) · cites this paper as [15]
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In the citing paper
“An OXTR polymorphism has also been associated with pair-bonding traits in females (26).”
From Oxytocin enhances brain reward system responses in men viewing the face of their female partner (2013) · cites this paper as [26]
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In the citing paper
“In humans, a genetic variant of the OTR gene has been shown to correlate with pair bonding behavior in women (Walum et al 2012).”
From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Walum et al 2012
In the citing paper
“Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in noncoding regions of the human OXTR have been associated with pair bonding behaviors (19), parenting (1), face recognition skills (20), and autism (21).”
From Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Predicts Brain Region–Specific Expression and Social Attachment (2016) · cites this paper as [19]
In the citing paper
“women, but not men, carrying rs7632287A scored lower on a partner bonding scale and on a relationship quality survey (Walum et al., 2012).”
From Vasopressin and oxytocin receptor systems in the brain: Sex differences and sex-specific regulation of social behavior (2016) · cites this paper as Walum et al., 2012
In the citing paper
“Similar to findings in prairie voles, multiple studies suggest that genetic variation in human OXTR contributes to variation in behavior.”
From Translational opportunities for circuit-based social neuroscience: advancing 21st century psychiatry (2021) · cites this paper as [33]
In the citing paper
“behavior in romantic relationships [33]”
From Translational opportunities for circuit-based social neuroscience: advancing 21st century psychiatry (2021) · cites this paper as [33]
In the citing paper
“Romantic relationship status, relationship quality, and sexual behaviors have been linked to OXTR variation in women and AVPR1a variation in men, although this sexual division is not always straighforward (12, 35 -37).”
From Variation in the β-endorphin, oxytocin, and dopamine receptor genes is associated with different dimensions of human sociality (2017) · cites this paper as [36]
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Oxytocin Modulates Neural Circuitry for Social Cognition and Fear in Humans
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The Neurobiology of Human Attachments
Feldman, R. (2017) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2016.11.007 · Cited by 839
Dumais, K. M., & Veenema, A. H. (2016) · Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2015.04.003 · Cited by 520
“For example, women, but not men, carrying rs7632287A scored lower on a partner bonding scale and on a relationship quality survey (Walum et al., 2012).”
BackgroundPair-Bonding, Romantic Love, and Evolution
Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., Campbell, L., & Overall, N. C. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691614561683 · Cited by 434
Numan, M., & Young, L. J. (2016) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.015 · Cited by 355
Feldman, R., Monakhov, M., Pratt, M., & Ebstein, R. P. (2016) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.08.008 · Cited by 352
Metadata
- Authors
- Walum, H., Lichtenstein, P., Neiderhiser, J. M., Reiss, D., Ganiban, J. M., Spotts, E. L., Pedersen, N. L., Anckarsäter, H., Larsson, H., & Westberg, L.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Yale University (US)
- George Washington University (US)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Walum, Hasse
- ORCID
- Venue
- Biological Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-03
- Volume
- 71
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 419-426
- ISSN
- 0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3266986
- OpenAlex
- W1978081746
- Cited by
- 211
- References
- 89
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 21.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Swedish Research Council
- Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH54610)
- The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation (J2004-0036:1)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- oxytocin receptor gene, oxytocin receptor, pair bonding, social behavior, single nucleotide polymorphisms, romantic relationships, marital status, autism spectrum disorder, genetic association, twin studies
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Child, Female, Genotype, Humans, Male, Object Attachment, Social Behavior, Sweden, Twins, Receptors, Oxytocin, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, White People
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