Oxytocin System Gene Methylation is Associated with Empathic Responses towards Children

Hannah Spencer; Franca H. Parianen Lesemann; Eline J. Kraaijenvanger; Geertjan Overbeek; Estrella R. Montoya; Susan Branje; Marco P.m. Boks; Peter A. Bos

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105629

Oxytocin System Gene Methylation is Associated with Empathic Responses towards Children

Hannah Spencer
, Franca H. Parianen Lesemann
, Eline J. Kraaijenvanger
, Geertjan Overbeek
, Estrella R. Montoya
, Susan Branje
, Marco P.m. Boks
, Peter A. Bos

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Empathy is an essential component of sensitive caregiving behavior, which in turn is an important predictor of children's healthy social-emotional development. The oxytocin (OXT) system plays a key role in promoting sensitive parenting and empathy. In this study, we investigated how OXT system gene methylation was associated with empathic processes in nulliparous women (M age = 23.60, SD =0.44)—measuring both physiological facial muscle responses and ratings of compassion and positive affect to affective images depicting children. Linear mixed effects analyses demonstrated that lower methylation levels in the OXT and OXTR genes were related to enhanced empathic responses. The effect of OXT system gene methylation on empathic processes was partly qualified by an interaction with individual variations in women's care motivation. Our findings provide experimental evidence for an association between the methylation of OXT system genes and empathy.

Original language	English
Article number	105629
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Journal	Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume	137
Early online date	1 Dec 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105629
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by a grant from the Netherlands Society of Scientific Research ( 451-14-015 ) and a Dynamics of Youth seed grant from Utrecht University to PAB. Data from the RADAR study were used. RADAR has been financially supported by main grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (GB-MAGW 480-03-005 , GB-MAGW 480-08-006 ), and Stichting Achmea Slachtoffer en Samenleving ( SASS ), a grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research to the Consortium Individual Development (CID; 024.001.003 ), and various other grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, the VU University Amsterdam , and Utrecht University. GO was supported by a grant ( 016.vici.185.063 ) from the Netherlands Society of Scientific Research. SB was supported by a grant from the European Research Council (ERC-CoG INTRANSITION-773023 ).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Empathy
Oxytocin
Facial EMG
DNA methylation

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1-s2.0-S0306453021005035-mainFinal published version, 2.2 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Oxytocin System Gene Methylation is Associated with Empathic Responses towards Children",

abstract = "Empathy is an essential component of sensitive caregiving behavior, which in turn is an important predictor of children's healthy social-emotional development. The oxytocin (OXT) system plays a key role in promoting sensitive parenting and empathy. In this study, we investigated how OXT system gene methylation was associated with empathic processes in nulliparous women (M age = 23.60, SD =0.44)—measuring both physiological facial muscle responses and ratings of compassion and positive affect to affective images depicting children. Linear mixed effects analyses demonstrated that lower methylation levels in the OXT and OXTR genes were related to enhanced empathic responses. The effect of OXT system gene methylation on empathic processes was partly qualified by an interaction with individual variations in women's care motivation. Our findings provide experimental evidence for an association between the methylation of OXT system genes and empathy.",

keywords = "Empathy, Oxytocin, Facial EMG, DNA methylation",

author = "Hannah Spencer and \{Parianen Lesemann\}, \{Franca H.\} and Kraaijenvanger, \{Eline J.\} and Geertjan Overbeek and Montoya, \{Estrella R.\} and Susan Branje and Boks, \{Marco P.m.\} and Bos, \{Peter A.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported in part by a grant from the Netherlands Society of Scientific Research ( 451-14-015 ) and a Dynamics of Youth seed grant from Utrecht University to PAB. Data from the RADAR study were used. RADAR has been financially supported by main grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (GB-MAGW 480-03-005 , GB-MAGW 480-08-006 ), and Stichting Achmea Slachtoffer en Samenleving ( SASS ), a grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research to the Consortium Individual Development (CID; 024.001.003 ), and various other grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, the VU University Amsterdam , and Utrecht University. GO was supported by a grant ( 016.vici.185.063 ) from the Netherlands Society of Scientific Research. SB was supported by a grant from the European Research Council (ERC-CoG INTRANSITION-773023 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

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doi = "10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105629",

language = "English",

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AU - Montoya, Estrella R.

AU - Branje, Susan

AU - Boks, Marco P.m.

AU - Bos, Peter A.

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N2 - Empathy is an essential component of sensitive caregiving behavior, which in turn is an important predictor of children's healthy social-emotional development. The oxytocin (OXT) system plays a key role in promoting sensitive parenting and empathy. In this study, we investigated how OXT system gene methylation was associated with empathic processes in nulliparous women (M age = 23.60, SD =0.44)—measuring both physiological facial muscle responses and ratings of compassion and positive affect to affective images depicting children. Linear mixed effects analyses demonstrated that lower methylation levels in the OXT and OXTR genes were related to enhanced empathic responses. The effect of OXT system gene methylation on empathic processes was partly qualified by an interaction with individual variations in women's care motivation. Our findings provide experimental evidence for an association between the methylation of OXT system genes and empathy.

AB - Empathy is an essential component of sensitive caregiving behavior, which in turn is an important predictor of children's healthy social-emotional development. The oxytocin (OXT) system plays a key role in promoting sensitive parenting and empathy. In this study, we investigated how OXT system gene methylation was associated with empathic processes in nulliparous women (M age = 23.60, SD =0.44)—measuring both physiological facial muscle responses and ratings of compassion and positive affect to affective images depicting children. Linear mixed effects analyses demonstrated that lower methylation levels in the OXT and OXTR genes were related to enhanced empathic responses. The effect of OXT system gene methylation on empathic processes was partly qualified by an interaction with individual variations in women's care motivation. Our findings provide experimental evidence for an association between the methylation of OXT system genes and empathy.

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Oxytocin System Gene Methylation is Associated with Empathic Responses towards Children

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

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