Methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene and oxytocin blood levels in the development of psychopathy
Abstract
Child conduct problems (CPs) are a robust predictor of adult mental health; the concurrence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits confers specific risk for psychopathy. Psychopathy may be related to disturbances in the oxytocin (OXT) system. Evidence suggests that epigenetic changes in the OXT receptor gene (OXTR) are associated with lower circulating OXT and social-cognitive difficulties. We tested methylation levels of OXTR in 4- to 16-year-old males who met DSM criteria for a diagnosis of oppositional-defiant or conduct disorder and were stratified by CU traits and age. Measures were DNA methylation levels of six CpG sites in the promoter region of the OXTR gene (where a CpG site is a cytosine nucleotide occurs next to a guanine nucleotide in the linear sequence of bases along its lenth, linked together by phosphate binding), and OXT blood levels. High CU traits were associated with greater methylation of the OXTR gene for two cytosine nucleotide and guanine nucleotide phosphate linked sites and lower circulating OXT in older males. Higher methylation correlated with lower OXT levels. We conclude that greater methylation of OXTR characterizes adolescent males with high levels of CU and CPs, and this methylation is associated with lower circulating OXT and functional impairment in interpersonal empathy. The results add genetic evidence that high CU traits specify a distinct subgroup within CP children, and they suggest models of psychopathy may be informed by further identification of these epigenetic processes and their functional significance.
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Epigenetic changes in genes that regulate oxytocin pathways, along with endogenous oxytocin levels, are related to how people form and maintain close social relationships.
“Our findings are in line with emerging evidence (Dadds et al., 2014; Haas et al., 2016) suggesting that epigenetic modification of genes regulating OT pathways and endogenous OT levels are associated with the way people form and maintain intimate social relationships with others.”
From Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood (2019) · cites this paper as Dadds et al., 2014
In boys aged 9-16 years, higher OXTR methylation was linked to lower plasma oxytocin.
“When looking at only the older boys in their sample, however, they observed a negative relationship (i.e., higher OXTR methylation levels were associated with lower plasma OT levels in boys aged 9–16 years).”
From Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood (2019) · cites this paper as Dadds et al. (2014)
Dadds et al. (2014) found no link between OXTR methylation and plasma oxytocin in their full sample of young and older boys.
“Also, Dadds et al. (2014) found no associations between OXTR methylation and plasma OT in their total sample of young and older boys.”
From Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood (2019) · cites this paper as Dadds et al. (2014)
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“For example, dysregulated DNA methylation in MT2 has been associated with autism [14], callous–unemotional traits [17, 18], anorexia nervosa [19, 20], schizoaffective disorders [21, 22], post-partum depression [23], attachment anxiety [24], obsessive compulsive disorder [25], and anxiety and depression [26].”
BackgroundEpigenetic evidence for involvement of the oxytocin receptor gene in obsessive–compulsive disorder
Cappi, C., Diniz, J. B., Requena, G. D. L., Lourenço, T., Lisbôa, B. C. G., Batistuzzo, M. C., Marques, A. H., Hoexter, M. Q., Pereira, C. A. D. B., Miguel, E. C., et al. (2016) · BMC Neuroscience · doi:10.1186/s12868-016-0313-4 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
“Methylation of oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with autism [15], psychopathy [16], acute psychosocial stress in the population experienced war adversities early in life [17] and anorexia [18].”
BackgroundBeery, A. K., McEwen, L. M., MacIsaac, J. L., Francis, D. D., & Kobor, M. S. (2016) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.022 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
“OXTR methylation has been associated with emotional traits and circulating oxytocin in humans (Dadds et al., 2014).”
BackgroundThe Genetic Underpinnings of Callous-Unemotional Traits: A Systematic Research Review
Moore, A., Blair, R., Hettema, J., & Roberson-Nay, R. (2019) · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.018 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
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Krol, K. M., Puglia, M. H., Morris, J. P., Connelly, J. J., & Grossmann, T. (2019) · Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100648 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
“For example, increased OXTR m has been associated with callous unemotional traits, anorexia nervosa, postpartum depression, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Gregory et al., 2009; Dadds et al., 2014; Bell et al., 2015; Kim et al., 2014).”
Ebner, N. C., Lin, T., Muradoglu, M., Weir, D. H., Plasencia, G. M., Lillard, T. S., Pournajafi-Nazarloo, H., Cohen, R. A., Sue Carter, C., & Connelly, J. J. (2019) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.01.008 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Genetic influences on conduct disorder
Salvatore, J. E., & Dick, D. M. (2016) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.06.034 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Maternal adversities during pregnancy and cord blood oxytocin receptor (<i>OXTR</i>) DNA methylation
Unternaehrer, E., Bolten, M., Nast, I., Staehli, S., Meyer, A. H., Dempster, E., Hellhammer, D. H., Lieb, R., & Meinlschmidt, G. (2016) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsw051 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
“, 2009), psychopathy (Dadds et al., 2014) and increased brain activity during a social task (Jack et al.”
BackgroundA, T. R. D. J., & Neumann, I. D. (2017) · Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2017_13 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Genetic influences on antisocial behavior: recent advances and future directions
Gard, A. M., Dotterer, H. L., & Hyde, L. W. (2018) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.07.013 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Rubin, L. H., Connelly, J. J., Reilly, J. L., Carter, C. S., Drogos, L. L., Pournajafi‐Nazarloo, H., Ruocco, A. C., Keedy, S., Matthew, I., Tandon, N., et al. (2015) · Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2015.10.003 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
“Examination of OT levels may be important for understanding epigenetic effects because epigenetic changes in OXTR might represent a response to variations in OT levels (23).”
BackgroundFreitag, C. M., Konrad, K., Stadler, C., Brito, S. A. D., Popma, A., Herpertz, S. C., Herpertz‐Dahlmann, B., Neumann, I. D., Kieser, M., Chiocchetti, A. G., et al. (2018) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-018-1172-6 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
The effects of DNA methylation on human psychology
Kader, F., Ghai, M., & Maharaj, L. (2017) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2017.12.004 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Cataldo, I., Azhari, A., Lepri, B., & Esposito, G. (2017) · Research in Developmental Disabilities · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.007 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
“Higher methylation has been shown to be associated with lower oxytocin levels (Dadds et al., 2014), which has subsequently been correlated with low prosocial behaviors (Bethlehem et al.”
BackgroundOxytocin and Vasopressin Receptor Gene Polymorphisms: Role in Social and Psychiatric Traits
Aspé-Sánchez, M., Moreno, M., Rivera, M. I., Rossi, A., & Ewer, J. (2016) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00510 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Mapping the developmental pathways of child conduct problems through the neurobiology of empathy
Moul, C., Hawes, D. J., & Dadds, M. R. (2017) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.03.016 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
“Encouragingly, novel approaches to treatment for children with conduct problems and high levels of CU traits have already begun to think about this evidence and some positive results have already been demonstrated (Hawes, Price, & Dadds, 2014).”
BackgroundTargeting the Oxytocin System: New Pharmacotherapeutic Approaches
Gulliver, D. W., Werry, E. L., Reekie, T. A., Katte, T. A., Jorgensen, W. T., & Kassiou, M. (2018) · Trends in Pharmacological Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tips.2018.11.001 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Puglia, M. H., Connelly, J. J., & Morris, J. P. (2018) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-018-0159-x · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Genetic modulation of oxytocin sensitivity: A pharmacogenetic approach
Chen, F. S., Kumsta, R., Dvorak, F., Domes, G., Yim, O. S., Ebstein, R. P., & Heinrichs, M. (2015) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/tp.2015.163 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Self-citationOxytocin and anxiety disorders
Gottschalk, M. G., & Domschke, K. (2017) · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2017_25 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Kraaijenvanger, E. J., He, Y., Spencer, H., Smith, A. K., Bos, P. A., & Boks, M. P. (2018) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.11.016 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Milaniak, I., Cecil, C. A. M., Barker, E. D., Relton, C. L., Gaunt, T. R., McArdle, W. L., & Jaffee, S. R. (2017) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579417001316 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
“Consistent with the possibility that OXTR methylation may be a mechanism by which prenatal exposures increase risk for psychopathology, Dadds et al. (2014) found that elevated methylation in OXTR in a sample of 4- to 16-year-olds was associated with lower levels of circulating oxytocin and higher…”
Dadds, M. R., English, T., Wimalaweera, S., Schollar‐Root, O., & Hawes, D. J. (2019) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/jcpp.13023 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Epigenetic perpetuation of the impact of early life stress on behavior
Janusek, L. W., Tell, D., & Mathews, H. L. (2019) · Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.004 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Salivary oxytocin in adolescents with conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits
Levy, T., Bloch, Y., Bar-Maisels, M., Gat‐Yablonski, G., Djalovski, A., Borodkin, K., & Apter, A. S. (2015) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-015-0765-6 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
“Moreover, the risk alleles of these SNPs were associated with lower circulating OT levels [37, 38].”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSimons, R. L., Lei, M., Beach, S. R. H., Cutrona, C. E., & Philibert, R. A. (2016) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579416000420 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
“…unemotional traits have found effects for sites located in our Factor 4 (Cecil et al., 2014) and in locations between our Factor 4 and our Factor 2 (Dadds et al., 2014); sites associated with autism have been located still further upstream from those included in our Factor 2 (Gregory et al.,…”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialZoratto, F., Sbriccoli, M., Martinelli, A., Glennon, J. C., Macrı̀, S., & Giovanni Laviola, A. (2018) · Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.09.010 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
DNA methylation analysis from saliva samples for epidemiological studies
Nishitani, S., Parets, S. E., Haas, B. W., & Smith, A. K. (2018) · Epigenetics · doi:10.1080/15592294.2018.1461295 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
“To evaluate PCR amplification and interrogation of BSC saliva DNA, we used a well-established assay for the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) (chr3: 8,792,095 to 8,811,300: GRCh37/hg19 build), which has used in studies of psychiatric disorders [52–54] and social behaviors [55,56].”
MethodAdolescent oxytocin response to stress and its behavioral and endocrine correlates
Bernhard, A., van der Merwe, C., Ackermann, K., Martinelli, A., Neumann, I. D., & Freitag, C. M. (2018) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.08.010 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
“Moreover, alterations of the OXT system have been found in mental disorders characterized by social dysfunctions, such as social anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder and conduct disorder (Cochran et al., 2013; Dadds et al., 2014; Netherton and Schatte, 2011; Neumann and Slattery, 2016).”
Apazoglou, K., Adouan, W., Aubry, J., Dayer, A. G., & Aybek, S. (2017) · Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry · doi:10.1136/jnnp-2017-316469 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Neonatal DNA methylation and early-onset conduct problems: A genome-wide, prospective study
Cecil, C. A. M., Walton, E., Jaffee, S. R., O'Connor, T., Maughan, B., Relton, C. L., Smith, R. G., McArdle, W., Gaunt, T. R., Ouellet-Morin, I., et al. (2018) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s095457941700092x · Cited by 46 · see citing works
“5 including lower DNAm of the Serotonin 1B Receptor gene (HTR1B; Moul, Dobson-Stone, Brennan, Hawes, & Dadds, 2015), and higher DNAm of the Oxytocin Receptor gene (OXTR; Dadds et al., 2014) – which in turn related to lower circulating oxytocin levels.”
BackgroundHovey, D., Lindstedt, M., Zettergren, A., Jönsson, L., Johansson, A., Melke, J., Kerekes, N., Anckarsäter, H. S., Lichtenstein, P., Lundström, S., et al. (2015) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/mp.2015.144 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Baribeau, D. A., Dupuis, A., Paton, T., Scherer, S. W., Schachar, R. J., Arnold, P. D., Szatmári, P., Nicolson, R., Georgiades, S., Crosbie, J., et al. (2017) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-017-10821-0 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Dadds, M. R., & Frick, P. J. (2019) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2019.103410 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
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Bey, K., Campos-Martín, R., Klawohn, J., Reuter, B., Grützmann, R., Riesel, A., Wagner, M., Ramı́rez, A., & Kathmann, N. (2021) · Epigenetics · doi:10.1080/15592294.2021.1943864 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“One study reported that increased OXTR methylation at chr3:8,810,833 was negatively associated with circulating oxytocin levels [46], while another study found no significant association between methylation at site −934 upstream of the OXTR start codon (located in exon II) and plasma oxytocin [47].”
BackgroundOxytocin receptor gene methylation in male and female PTSD patients and trauma-exposed controls
Nawijn, L., Krzyzewska, I. M., van Zuiden, M., Henneman, P., Koch, S. B. J., Mul, A. N. P. M., Frijling, J. L., Veltman, D. J., Mannens, M. M. A. M., & Olff, M. (2018) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.10.006 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Chen, X., Nishitani, S., Haroon, E., Smith, A. K., & Rilling, J. K. (2019) · Genes Brain & Behavior · doi:10.1111/gbb.12555 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Frazier, A., Ferreira, P. A., & Gonzales, J. E. (2019) · Personality Neuroscience · doi:10.1017/pen.2019.7 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“Dadds et al. (2014) observed maturation-related differences in genetic activity, with the lowCU group showing lower methylation of the OXT gene in older children, while the opposite trend was observed in the high-CU group.”
BackgroundResultThagard, P. R. (2019) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190678739.001.0001 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Reuter, M., Montag, C., Altmann, S., Bendlow, F., Elger, C. E., Kirsch, P., Becker, A. J., Schoch, S., Simon, M., Weber, B., et al. (2016) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470919.2016.1214174 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
“Moreover, further gene regulatory mechanisms like DNA hyper- as well as hypomethylation of the OXTR will fine-tune the activity of the oxytocinergic system leading to behavioral variability and psychiatric disorders (Dadds et al., 2014; Ziegler et al., 2015).”
BackgroundDanoff, J. S., Connelly, J. J., Morris, J. P., & Perkeybile, A. M. (2021) · Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100098 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
“[55] Whole blood MT2 EpiTYPER Callous-unemotional traits Callous unemotional traits were associated with higher”
BackgroundSocial Behavior of Pet Dogs Is Associated with Peripheral OXTR Methylation
Cimarelli, G., Virányi, Z., Turcsán, B., Rónai, Z., Sasvári‐Székely, M., & Bánlaki, Z. (2017) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00549 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Methylation of the OXTR gene in women with anorexia nervosa: Relationship to social behavior
Thaler, L., Brassard, S. L., Booij, L., Kahan, E., McGregor, K., Labbe, A., Israël, M., & Steiger, H. (2019) · European Eating Disorders Review · doi:10.1002/erv.2703 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Towers, A. J., Tremblay, M. W., Chung, L., Li, X.-L., Bey, A. L., Zhang, W., Cao, X., Wang, X., Wang, P., Duffney, L. J., et al. (2018) · JCI Insight · doi:10.1172/jci.insight.120592 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Moul, C., Dobson‐Stone, C., Brennan, J., Hawes, D. J., & Dadds, M. R. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0126903 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“Indeed, childhood adversity has been associated with hypermethylation and the reduced expression of HTR1B [26, 27] and recent research has identified methylation of the promoter region of the oxytocin receptor gene as being associated with the development of CU traits in children [28, 29].”
BackgroundOxytocin and Facial Emotion Recognition
Ellenbogen, M. A. (2017) · Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2017_20 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Işık, Ü., Bi̇lgi̇ç, A., Toker, A., & Kılınç, İ. (2018) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.12.076 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Similar to ADHD, recent studies have suggested that neuroendocrine hormones might be related to the etiopathogenesis of conduct disorder (Alink et al., 2008; Dorn et al., 2009; Freitag et al., 2009; Golubchik et al., 2009; Dadds et al., 2014; Levy et al., 2015; Northover et al., 2016).”
InfluentialJones‐Mason, K., Allen, I. E., Bush, N. R., & Hamilton, S. (2016) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.480 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“For example, greater methylation levels of the oxytocin gene has been linked to conduct disorder (Dadds et al. 2014), and it may be that the decrease in environmental sensitivity associated with high methylation levels found here potentially explain some of the resistance to intervention associated…”
BackgroundD’Addario, C., Pucci, M., Bellia, F., Girella, A., Sabatucci, A., Fanti, F., Vismara, M. E. M., Benatti, B., Ferrara, L., Fasciana, F., et al. (2022) · Clinical Epigenetics · doi:10.1186/s13148-022-01264-0 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
“Moreover, besides OCD, OXTR DNA methylation at exon 3 has been associated with other central nervous system disorders such as anxiety disorder [66], autism spectrum disorder [67], depression [68] and psychopathy [69].”
BackgroundPatin, A., & Hurlemann, R. (2015) · Handbook of experimental pharmacology · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-16522-6_10 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Lønfeldt, N. N., Verhulst, F. C., Strandberg-Larsen, K., Plessen, K. J., & Lebowitz, E. R. (2019) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291718003021 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
“Hypermethylation is associated with decreased peripheral levels of oxytocin (Dadds et al., 2014).”
BackgroundThe association between attachment and psychopathic traits
van der Zouwen, M., Hoeve, M., Hendriks, A. M., Asscher, J. J., & Stams, G. J. J. M. (2018) · Aggression and Violent Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.avb.2018.09.002 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Evenepoel, M., Moerkerke, M., Daniëls, N., Chubar, V., Claes, S. J., Turner, J. D., Vanaudenaerde, B. M., Willems, L., Verhaeghe, J., Prinsen, J., et al. (2023) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-023-02524-0 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“One study by Dadds et al. (2014) demonstrated that increased OXTR DNAm in peripheral blood was associated with lower plasma oxytocin levels in children/ adolescents with oppositional-defiant/conduct disorder (4-to-16 year old) [33].”
BackgroundGalbally, M., Ryan, J. L., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Watson, S., Spigset, O., Lappas, M., Saffery, R., de Kloet, E. R., & Lewis, A. J. (2018) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.01.004 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Oxytocin receptor gene methylation and substance use problems among young African American men
Kogan, S. M., Cho, J., Beach, S. R. H., Smith, A. K., & Nishitani, S. (2018) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.08.022 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“Consistent with prior research (Dadds et al., 2014), the present study used an index summing 13 consecutive CpG sites across chr3: 8810890 (CpG14) to chr3: 8810682/8810680 (CpG25,26).”
ResultDNA Methylation and Hydroxymethylation and Behavior
Rustad, S. R., Papale, L. A., & Alisch, R. S. (2019) · Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2019_104 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Kogan, S. M., Bae, D., Cho, J., Smith, A. K., & Nishitani, S. (2019) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797619854735 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“Previous research has focused on methylation at individual CpG sites as well as mean methylation levels across sites in this region (Dadds et al., 2014).”
BackgroundResultHuang, M., Liu, K., Wei, Z., Feng, Z., Chen, J., Yang, J., Zhong, Q., Wan, G., & Kong, X. (2021) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2021.721884 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Epigenetic and Neural Circuitry Landscape of Psychotherapeutic Interventions
Miller, C. W. T. (2017) · Psychiatry Journal · doi:10.1155/2017/5491812 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“, autistic traits and elements of psychopathy) [55, 56], they”
BackgroundThøgersen, D. M., Elmose, M., Viding, E. M., McCrory, E. J. P., & Bjørnebekk, G. (2022) · Journal of Child and Family Studies · doi:10.1007/s10826-022-02435-6 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“Primary CU traits are assumed to be caused by biological constraints or dysfunctions in the emotional systems, and one possible mechanism might be the increased DNA methylation of areas close to the oxytocin receptor gene (Cecil et al., 2014; Dadds et al., 2013).”
Erickson, E. N., Myatt, L., Danoff, J. S., Krol, K. M., & Connelly, J. J. (2023) · Communications Medicine · doi:10.1038/s43856-023-00244-6 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
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The role of oxytocin signaling in depression and suicidality in returning war veterans
Warrener, C., Valentin, E. M., Gallin, C., Richey, L., Ross, D. B., Hood, C. J., Lori, A., Cubells, J. F., Rauch, S. A. M., & Rilling, J. K. (2020) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105085 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“, 2015), and evidence is accumulating that peripheral OXTR methylation has functional correlates in humans (Andari et al., 2020; Dadds et al., 2014; Gregory et al., 2009; Jack et al., 2012; Puglia et al., 2015).”
BackgroundLevy, T., Apter, A., Djalovski, A., Peskin, M., Fennig, S., Gat‐Yablonski, G., Bar-Maisels, M., Borodkin, K., & Bloch, Y. (2017) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.06.028 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“Moreover, serum oxytocin levels in youth were correlated with CU trait severity (Dadds et al., 2014a).”
BackgroundWhy Do They Do It? The Psychology Behind Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents
Mazza, M., Lisci, F., Marzo, E. M., Masi, V. D., Abate, F., & Marano, G. (2025) · Pediatric Reports · doi:10.3390/pediatric17020026 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“Unfortunately, this study did not include the female population [33].”
Daily oxytocin patterns in relation to psychopathy and childhood trauma in residential youth
Fragkaki, I., Verhagen, M., van Herwaarden, A. E., & Cima, M. (2018) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.040 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Nance, M. G., Sullivan, K. M., & Puglia, M. H. (2024) · Pediatric Research · doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03563-z · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“54 Similarly, in a 13-year longitudinal study, Cecil et al. examined cord blood OXTR m at birth and peripheral blood in childhood in patients with CU traits.”
Dalkner, N., Reininghaus, E., Riedrich, K., Rieger, A., Birner, A., Fellendorf, F., Bengesser, S., Queissner, R., Platzer, M., Mayr-Mauhart, M., et al. (2018) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2018.09.018 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Kogan, S., Bae, D., Cho, J., Smith, A. K., & Nishitani, S. (2020) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579420000632 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“OXTR DNA methylation index Previous researchers have evaluated methylation at individual CpG sites as well as mean methylation levels across sites in this region (Dadds et al., 2014; Szyf & Bick, 2013).”
BackgroundInfluentialLong-term epigenetic effects of parental caregiving
Unternäehrer, E., Meier, M., Bouvette–Turcot, A., & Dass, S. A. H. (2020) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-819262-7.00006-4 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
- Authors
- Dadds, M. R., Moul, C., Cauchi, A., Dobson-Stone, C., Hawes, D. J., Brennan, J., & Ebstein, R. E.
- Affiliations
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Sydney Children's Hospital (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Dadds, Mark R.
- Venue
- Development and Psychopathology
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2013-09-23
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 33-40
- ISSN
- 0954-5794 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-2198
- OpenAlex
- W2075192390
- Cited by
- 230
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 15.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- oxytocin receptor gene, oxytocin receptor, DNA methylation, psychopathy, callous-unemotional traits, child conduct problems, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, epigenetics, promoter CpG sites, adolescent boys, interpersonal empathy, social cognition
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Age Factors, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Child, Empathy, Family, Humans, Male, Oxytocin, Social Environment, Receptors, Oxytocin, DNA Methylation, Conduct Disorder, Epigenesis, Genetic
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
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