A polymorphic indel containing the RS3 microsatellite in the 5′ flanking region of the vasopressin V1a receptor gene is associated with chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) personality
Open accessAbstract
Vasopressin is a neuropeptide that has been strongly implicated in the development and evolution of complex social relations and cognition in mammals. Recent studies in voles have shown that polymorphic variation in the promoter region of the arginine vasopressin V1a receptor gene (avpr1a) is associated with different dimensions of sociality. In humans, variation in a repetitive sequence element in the 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A, known as RS3, have also been associated with variation in AVPR1a gene expression, brain activity and social behavior. Here, we examined the association of polymorphic variation in this same 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A on subjective ratings of personality in a sample of 83 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Initial analyses indicated that 34 females and 19 males were homozygous for the short allele, which lacks RS3 (DupB(-/-)), while 18 females and 12 males were heterozygous and thus had one copy of the long allele containing RS3 (DupB(+/-)), yielding overall allelic frequencies of 0.82 for the DupB(-) allele and 0.18 for the DupB(+) allele. DupB(+/+) chimpanzees were excluded from the analysis because of the limited number of individuals. Results indicated no significant sex difference in personality between chimpanzees homozygous for the deletion of the RS3-containing DupB region (DupB(-/-)); however, among chimpanzees carrying one allele with the DupB present (DupB(+/-)), males had significantly higher dominance and lower conscientiousness scores than females. These findings are the first evidence showing that the AVPR1A gene plays a role in different aspects of personality in male and female chimpanzees.
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In chimpanzees, the AVPR1A RS3 polymorphism has been linked to social cognition and personality traits in sex-specific ways.
“The AVPR1A RS3 polymorphism has also been implicated in social cognition and personality traits in chimpanzees in sex-specific ways.”
From Vasopressin and oxytocin receptor systems in the brain: Sex differences and sex-specific regulation of social behavior (2016) · cites this paper as Hopkins et al., 2012
In chimpanzees, males with DupB+/− had lower dominance and higher conscientiousness than females with DupB+/−, while DupB−/− carriers showed no effect.
“while there was no effect in DupB−/− carriers, males with the DupB+/− allele had lower dominance and higher conscientiousness scores than females with the DupB+/−”
From Vasopressin and oxytocin receptor systems in the brain: Sex differences and sex-specific regulation of social behavior (2016) · cites this paper as Hopkins et al., 2012
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“Specifically, while there was no effect in females, males with the DupB−/− allele (which is the shorter bp version and lacks RS3) needed more social cues to elicit an orienting response than males with the DupB+/− (which have one copy of the long allele containing RS3; Hopkins et al., 2014).”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Hopkins, W. D., Donaldson, Z. R., & Young, L. J.
- Affiliations
- Georgia State University (US)
- Columbia University (US)
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hopkins, W. D.
- Venue
- Genes, Brain and Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-05-21
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 552-558
- ISSN
- 1601-183X (ISSN-L)
- 1601-1848
- PMC
- PMC3389165
- OpenAlex
- W2083607629
- Cited by
- 78
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 12.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Genes Brain & Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- National Institutes of Health (P51OD011132)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH-64692, K02MH064692, MH-92923, R29MH056897, MH 56897, R01MH092923, R01MH056897, T32MH015144)
- National Center for Research Resources (RR-00 165, P51RR000165)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Keywords
- vasopressin, AVPR1A, V1a receptor, 5'-flanking region, insertion/deletion polymorphism, dominance, conscientiousness, sex differences, social behavior genetics, neuropeptides
- MeSH terms
- Alleles, Animals, Pan troglodytes, Female, Gene Frequency, Male, Personality, Polymorphism, Genetic, Sex Characteristics, Social Behavior, Receptors, Vasopressin, Microsatellite Repeats, 5' Flanking Region
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