Cited by 230Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual OffendingNeuroendocrine regulation and behaviorChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

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Methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene and oxytocin blood levels in the development of psychopathy

Dadds, Mark R., Moul, Caroline, Cauchi, Avril, Dobson-Stone, Carol, Hawes, David J., Brennan, John, Ebstein, Richard E.·2014·Development and Psychopathology

DOI 10.1017/s0954579413000497

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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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“For example [17, 20], showed that polymorphisms and methylation of the OXTR gene were related to low interpersonal empathy in children.”
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“(Dadds et al., 2014), with fMRI also showing significantly increased functional coupling in the anterior cingulate gyrus to the amygdala relative to A-rs2254298 (Tost et al.”
BackgroundInfluential
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“In fact, lower OXTR m levels were associated with greater self-reported empathy in healthy young adults 29 ; and greater OXTR m levels in conduct disorder 30 and psychopathy 31 were associated with lower empathy.”
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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.
ORCID: Dadds, Mark R.
Moul, Caroline
Hawes, David J.
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
DOI: 10.1017/s0954579413000497
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
Licence: www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified)
Locations: Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › 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

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Methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene and oxytocin blood levels in the development of psychopathy

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