Revisiting the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy: A population-based study and a meta-analysis
Abstract
Oxytocin in the brain is related to empathy, which refers to the ability to understand and share others' internal states or responses. Previous studies have investigated the impact of OXTR rs53576, the most intensively examined polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, on individual differences in empathy. However, these studies produced inconsistent results. In the current study, we reexamined the association of OXTR rs53576 with empathy in a relatively large population (N=1830) and also evaluated the association by a comprehensive meta-analysis (N=6631, 13 independent samples). The replication study indicated that OXTR rs53576 was indeed associated with individual differences in empathy. Individuals with a greater number of G alleles showed better empathic ability, particularly in fantasizing other's feelings and actions. The meta-analysis not only confirmed this association, but also indicated that the impact of this polymorphism was significant in both Europeans and Asians. These findings provide convincing evidence for the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy, highlighting the importance of OXTR gene in individuals' social cognition.
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Variations of the OXTR have been associated with individual differences in the capacity and tendency to empathize with others' emotional states in healthy individuals and related brain function in individuals with ASD.
“Further, variations of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) have been associated with individual differences in the capacity and tendency to empathize with others’ emotional states in healthy individuals25–30 and related brain function in individuals with ASD31.”
From Randomized clinical trial shows no substantial modulation of empathy-related neural activation by intranasal oxytocin in autism (2021) · cites this paper as [29]
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- Authors
- Gong, P., Fan, H., Liu, J., Yang, X., Zhang, K., & Zhou, X.
- Affiliations
- Northwest University (CN)
- Bohai University (CN)
- Shenzhen University (CN)
- Peking University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Gong, Pingyuan
- Zhou, Xiaolin
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-06
- Volume
- 80
- Pages
- 131-136
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2592165734
- Cited by
- 126
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 2.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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 › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
- Keywords
- OXTR rs53576, oxytocin receptor gene, empathy, individual differences, genetic polymorphism, social cognition, replication study, meta-analysis
- MeSH terms
- Alleles, China, Cognition, Emotions, Empathy, Female, Gene Frequency, Genotype, Humans, Male, Oxytocin, Social Behavior, Receptors, Oxytocin, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, White People, Asian People, Young Adult
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