Oxytocin pathway gene variation and corticostriatal resting-state functional connectivity

Shanshan Xiao; Håkan Fischer; Natalie C. Ebner; Gull Rukh; Junhua Dang; Lars Westberg; Helgi B. Schiöth

Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology (Nov 2024)

Oxytocin pathway gene variation and corticostriatal resting-state functional connectivity

Shanshan Xiao,
Håkan Fischer,
Natalie C. Ebner,
Gull Rukh,
Junhua Dang,
Lars Westberg,
Helgi B. Schiöth

Affiliations

Shanshan Xiao: Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Campus Albano house 4, Albanovägen, SE-114 19, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, BMC, Husargatan 3, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden; Corresponding author. Stockholm University, Department of Psychology, Albanovägen 12, SE-114 19, Stockholm, Sweden.
Håkan Fischer: Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Campus Albano house 4, Albanovägen, SE-114 19, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm University Brain Imaging Centre (SUBIC), SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden; Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Tomtebodavägen 18 A, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
Natalie C. Ebner: Department of Psychology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 112250, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA; Cognitive Aging and Memory Program, Clinical Translational Research Program (CAM-CTRP), University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
Gull Rukh: Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, BMC, Husargatan 3, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
Junhua Dang: Institute of Social Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.28 Xianning West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, PR China
Lars Westberg: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 431, SE-405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
Helgi B. Schiöth: Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, BMC, Husargatan 3, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 20
p. 100255

Abstract

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Genetic variations in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within oxytocin pathway genes have been linked to social behavior and neurodevelopmental conditions. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these associations remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the relationship between variations of 10 SNPs in oxytocin pathway genes and resting-state functional connectivity among 55 independent components using a large sample from the UK Biobank (N ≈ 30,000). Our findings revealed that individuals with the GG genotype at rs4813627 within the oxytocin structural gene (OXT) exhibited weaker resting-state functional connectivity in the corticostriatal circuit compared to those with the GA/AA genotypes. Empirical evidence has linked the GG genotype at OXT rs4813627 with a behavioral tendency of insensitivity to others. These results inform the neural mechanisms by which oxytocin-related genetic factors can influence social behavior.

Published in Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology

ISSN: 2666-4976 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry; Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/comprehensive-psychoneuroendocrinology

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