Cited by 126Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorAction Observation and Synchronization

Revisiting the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy: A population-based study and a meta-analysis

Gong, Pingyuan, Fan, Huiyong, Liu, Jinting, Yang, Xing, Zhang, Kejin, Zhou, Xiaolin·2017·Psychoneuroendocrinology

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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Crossref · 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.005

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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.”

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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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