Cited by 323Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Genetics of Human Social Behavior

Open access
Ebstein, Richard P., Israel, Salomon, Chew, Soo Hong, Zhong, Songfa, Knafo, Ariel·2010·Neuron

Abstract

Human beings are an incredibly social species and along with eusocial insects engage in the largest cooperative living groups in the planet's history. Twin and family studies suggest that uniquely human characteristics such as empathy, altruism, sense of equity, love, trust, music, economic behavior, and even politics are partially hardwired. The leap from twin studies to identifying specific genes engaging the social brain has occurred in the past decade, aided by deep insights accumulated about social behavior in lower mammals. Remarkably, genes such as the arginine vasopressin receptor and the oxytocin receptor contribute to social behavior in a broad range of species from voles to man. Other polymorphic genes constituting the "usual suspects"--i.e., those encoding for dopamine reward pathways, serotonergic emotional regulation, or sex hormones--further enable elaborate social behaviors.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.02.020

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207 of 207 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Genetic makeup is thought to play a key role in the phenotypical manifestation of social behaviours.

    “Similarly, genetic makeup is thought to play a key role in the phenotypical manifestation of social behaviours38.”
  • Interactions with the oxytocin system extend beyond the opioid pathway, including the dopaminergic and muscarinic acetylcholine circuits, with possible implications for social behavior and psychiatric disorders.

    “The interactions with the oxytocin system extend beyond the opioid pathway, including the dopaminergic17,18 and muscarinic acetylcholine12,19 circuits, with possible implications for social behavior and psychiatric disorders.”

    From Oxytocin pathway gene networks in the human brain (2019) · cites this paper as [18]

  • A smaller number of OXTR SNPs were found to be linked to measures of wider social engagement.

    “a smaller number of OXTR SNPs were found to be linked to measures of wider social engagement (corroborating some previous findings) (50)”

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Authors
Ebstein, R. P., Israel, S., Chew, S. H., Zhong, S., & Knafo, A.
Affiliations
  • National University of Singapore (SG)
  • Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
Corresponding author
Ebstein, Richard P.
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-03
Volume
65
Issue
6
Pages
831-844
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2005171996
Cited by
323
References
207
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 31
FWCI
3.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Rare & Special e-Zone (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • Wellcome Trust
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords
human social behavior, twin studies, family studies, empathy, altruism, trust, social brain, arginine vasopressin receptor, oxytocin receptor, dopamine reward pathway, serotonergic regulation, sex hormones, eusociality
MeSH terms
Altruism, Animals, Choice Behavior, Games, Experimental, Humans, Social Behavior, Social Perception, Species Specificity, Twins, Receptors, Vasopressin, Genetic Phenomena

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