Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in a wide range of affiliative processes. OT exerts its functions via OT receptors, which are encoded by the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Epigenetic modification of OXTR through the process of DNA methylation has been associated with individual di...

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Veröffentlicht in:International journal of psychophysiology 2019-02, Vol.136, p.22-32
Hauptverfasser: Ebner, Natalie C., Lin, Tian, Muradoglu, Melis, Weir, Devon H., Plasencia, Gabriela M., Lillard, Travis S., Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein, Cohen, Ronald A., Sue Carter, C., Connelly, Jessica J.
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container_title International journal of psychophysiology
container_volume 136
creator Ebner, Natalie C.
Lin, Tian
Muradoglu, Melis
Weir, Devon H.
Plasencia, Gabriela M.
Lillard, Travis S.
Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein
Cohen, Ronald A.
Sue Carter, C.
Connelly, Jessica J.
description The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in a wide range of affiliative processes. OT exerts its functions via OT receptors, which are encoded by the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Epigenetic modification of OXTR through the process of DNA methylation has been associated with individual differences in behavioral phenotypes. Specifically, lower levels of OXTR methylation have been linked to better social and affective functioning. However, research on epigenetic mechanisms of OXTR is scarce in non-clinical populations, and even less is known about epigenetic variability across adulthood. The present study assessed methylation levels at OXTR CpG site −934 and plasma OT levels in 22 young (20–31 years, M = 23.6) and 34 older (63–80 years, M = 71.4) participants. Lower levels of OXTR methylation and higher plasma OT levels were associated with less self-reported attachment anxiety in young but not older participants, with largely independent contributions of OXTR methylation and plasma OT levels. In contrast, in the overall sample, lower levels of OXTR methylation were associated with higher self-reported attachment avoidance. Age analysis suggested that these results were largely driven by young adults. Plasma OT levels were unrelated to attachment avoidance. Taken together, these findings support the emerging notion in the literature that epigenetic properties of OXTR, in addition to endogenous OT levels, are related to adult attachment. Further, the age effects observed in the associations between OXTR methylation, plasma OT, and adult attachment emphasize the importance of adopting a developmental perspective when studying properties of the OT system and their relation to affiliative processes. Findings contribute to growing evidence 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. •The study assessed associations between OXTR methylation, plasma oxytocin (OT), and attachment in young and older adults.•Lower OXTR methylation and higher OT were associated with less attachment anxiety in young but not older adults.•Contributions of OXTR methylation and OT on attachment were largely independent.•Epigenetic modifications of genes regulating OT pathways and OT levels are associated with affiliative processes.•Findings support importance of adopting a developmental perspective on the OT system in relation to affiliative pr
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.01.008
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OT exerts its functions via OT receptors, which are encoded by the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Epigenetic modification of OXTR through the process of DNA methylation has been associated with individual differences in behavioral phenotypes. Specifically, lower levels of OXTR methylation have been linked to better social and affective functioning. However, research on epigenetic mechanisms of OXTR is scarce in non-clinical populations, and even less is known about epigenetic variability across adulthood. The present study assessed methylation levels at OXTR CpG site −934 and plasma OT levels in 22 young (20–31 years, M = 23.6) and 34 older (63–80 years, M = 71.4) participants. Lower levels of OXTR methylation and higher plasma OT levels were associated with less self-reported attachment anxiety in young but not older participants, with largely independent contributions of OXTR methylation and plasma OT levels. In contrast, in the overall sample, lower levels of OXTR methylation were associated with higher self-reported attachment avoidance. Age analysis suggested that these results were largely driven by young adults. Plasma OT levels were unrelated to attachment avoidance. Taken together, these findings support the emerging notion in the literature that epigenetic properties of OXTR, in addition to endogenous OT levels, are related to adult attachment. Further, the age effects observed in the associations between OXTR methylation, plasma OT, and adult attachment emphasize the importance of adopting a developmental perspective when studying properties of the OT system and their relation to affiliative processes. 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All rights reserved.</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-c590t-9e34f587b8e5f6aac0b364dfe2fa65c07500c4a200ac6d8c37df2b282e5692a43</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-c590t-9e34f587b8e5f6aac0b364dfe2fa65c07500c4a200ac6d8c37df2b282e5692a43</cites><orcidid>0000-0002-2705-7520</orcidid></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167876017302842$$EHTML$$P50$$Gelsevier$$H</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>230,314,776,780,881,3537,27901,27902,65534</link.rule.ids><backlink>$$Uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29410310$$D View this record in MEDLINE/PubMed$$Hfree_for_read</backlink></links><search><creatorcontrib>Ebner, Natalie C.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Lin, Tian</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Muradoglu, Melis</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Weir, Devon H.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Plasencia, Gabriela M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Lillard, Travis S.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Cohen, Ronald A.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Sue Carter, C.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Connelly, Jessica J.</creatorcontrib><title>Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood</title><title>International journal of psychophysiology</title><addtitle>Int J Psychophysiol</addtitle><description>The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in a wide range of affiliative processes. 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In contrast, in the overall sample, lower levels of OXTR methylation were associated with higher self-reported attachment avoidance. Age analysis suggested that these results were largely driven by young adults. Plasma OT levels were unrelated to attachment avoidance. Taken together, these findings support the emerging notion in the literature that epigenetic properties of OXTR, in addition to endogenous OT levels, are related to adult attachment. Further, the age effects observed in the associations between OXTR methylation, plasma OT, and adult attachment emphasize the importance of adopting a developmental perspective when studying properties of the OT system and their relation to affiliative processes. Findings contribute to growing evidence 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. •The study assessed associations between OXTR methylation, plasma oxytocin (OT), and attachment in young and older adults.•Lower OXTR methylation and higher OT were associated with less attachment anxiety in young but not older adults.•Contributions of OXTR methylation and OT on attachment were largely independent.•Epigenetic modifications of genes regulating OT pathways and OT levels are associated with affiliative processes.•Findings support importance of adopting a developmental perspective on the OT system in relation to affiliative processes.</description><subject>Adult</subject><subject>Age Factors</subject><subject>Aged</subject><subject>Aged, 80 and over</subject><subject>Aging</subject><subject>Anxiety - physiopathology</subject><subject>Attachment</subject><subject>DNA Methylation</subject><subject>Epigenesis, Genetic</subject><subject>Female</subject><subject>Humans</subject><subject>Male</subject><subject>Middle Aged</subject><subject>Object Attachment</subject><subject>OXTR</subject><subject>Oxytocin - blood</subject><subject>Plasma OT</subject><subject>Receptors, Oxytocin - genetics</subject><subject>Young Adult</subject><issn>0167-8760</issn><issn>1872-7697</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2019</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>EIF</sourceid><recordid>eNqFkUFr3DAQhUVpabZp_0LQMYXYGcm2ZF1KQ2iTQiAQEuhNyPI41mJbrqVNu_--SjZZmlNPA5r33ozmI-SIQc6AidN17tZz2Nre5xxYnQPLAeo3ZMVqyTMplHxLVkkos1oKOCAfQlgDgGRKvScHXJUMCgYrMp-F4K0z0fkp0Abjb8SJ-j_bmF4nuqDFOfqF3uOE9Pj65-3NZzpi7LfDk-WEzoMJo9k7TqiZWmpiNLYfcYrU2MWHQE27GWLvffuRvOvMEPDTcz0kd9-_3Z5fZlfXFz_Oz64yWymImcKi7KpaNjVWnTDGQlOIsu2Qd0ZUFmQFYEvDAYwVbW0L2Xa84TXHSihuyuKQfNnlzptmxNamXRYz6Hlxo1m22hunX3cm1-t7_6AFSC6YSgHHzwGL_7XBEPXogsVhMBP6TdDpkoopzhhPUrGTPv11wW4_hoF-xKXX-gWXfsSlgemEKxmP_l1yb3vhkwRfdwJMp3pwuOhgHU4WW5fQRN16978ZfwElyq3r</recordid><startdate>20190201</startdate><enddate>20190201</enddate><creator>Ebner, Natalie C.</creator><creator>Lin, Tian</creator><creator>Muradoglu, Melis</creator><creator>Weir, Devon H.</creator><creator>Plasencia, Gabriela M.</creator><creator>Lillard, Travis S.</creator><creator>Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein</creator><creator>Cohen, Ronald A.</creator><creator>Sue Carter, C.</creator><creator>Connelly, Jessica J.</creator><general>Elsevier B.V</general><scope>CGR</scope><scope>CUY</scope><scope>CVF</scope><scope>ECM</scope><scope>EIF</scope><scope>NPM</scope><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>7X8</scope><scope>5PM</scope><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2705-7520</orcidid></search><sort><creationdate>20190201</creationdate><title>Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood</title><author>Ebner, Natalie C. ; Lin, Tian ; Muradoglu, Melis ; Weir, Devon H. ; Plasencia, Gabriela M. ; Lillard, Travis S. ; Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein ; Cohen, Ronald A. ; Sue Carter, C. ; Connelly, Jessica J.</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c590t-9e34f587b8e5f6aac0b364dfe2fa65c07500c4a200ac6d8c37df2b282e5692a43</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2019</creationdate><topic>Adult</topic><topic>Age Factors</topic><topic>Aged</topic><topic>Aged, 80 and over</topic><topic>Aging</topic><topic>Anxiety - physiopathology</topic><topic>Attachment</topic><topic>DNA Methylation</topic><topic>Epigenesis, Genetic</topic><topic>Female</topic><topic>Humans</topic><topic>Male</topic><topic>Middle Aged</topic><topic>Object Attachment</topic><topic>OXTR</topic><topic>Oxytocin - blood</topic><topic>Plasma OT</topic><topic>Receptors, Oxytocin - genetics</topic><topic>Young Adult</topic><toplevel>peer_reviewed</toplevel><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Ebner, Natalie C.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Lin, Tian</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Muradoglu, Melis</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Weir, Devon H.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Plasencia, Gabriela M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Lillard, Travis S.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Cohen, Ronald A.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Sue Carter, C.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Connelly, Jessica J.</creatorcontrib><collection>Medline</collection><collection>MEDLINE</collection><collection>MEDLINE (Ovid)</collection><collection>MEDLINE</collection><collection>MEDLINE</collection><collection>PubMed</collection><collection>CrossRef</collection><collection>MEDLINE - Academic</collection><collection>PubMed Central (Full Participant titles)</collection><jtitle>International journal of psychophysiology</jtitle></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Ebner, Natalie C.</au><au>Lin, Tian</au><au>Muradoglu, Melis</au><au>Weir, Devon H.</au><au>Plasencia, Gabriela M.</au><au>Lillard, Travis S.</au><au>Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein</au><au>Cohen, Ronald A.</au><au>Sue Carter, C.</au><au>Connelly, Jessica J.</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood</atitle><jtitle>International journal of psychophysiology</jtitle><addtitle>Int J Psychophysiol</addtitle><date>2019-02-01</date><risdate>2019</risdate><volume>136</volume><spage>22</spage><epage>32</epage><pages>22-32</pages><issn>0167-8760</issn><eissn>1872-7697</eissn><abstract>The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in a wide range of affiliative processes. OT exerts its functions via OT receptors, which are encoded by the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Epigenetic modification of OXTR through the process of DNA methylation has been associated with individual differences in behavioral phenotypes. Specifically, lower levels of OXTR methylation have been linked to better social and affective functioning. However, research on epigenetic mechanisms of OXTR is scarce in non-clinical populations, and even less is known about epigenetic variability across adulthood. The present study assessed methylation levels at OXTR CpG site −934 and plasma OT levels in 22 young (20–31 years, M = 23.6) and 34 older (63–80 years, M = 71.4) participants. Lower levels of OXTR methylation and higher plasma OT levels were associated with less self-reported attachment anxiety in young but not older participants, with largely independent contributions of OXTR methylation and plasma OT levels. In contrast, in the overall sample, lower levels of OXTR methylation were associated with higher self-reported attachment avoidance. Age analysis suggested that these results were largely driven by young adults. Plasma OT levels were unrelated to attachment avoidance. Taken together, these findings support the emerging notion in the literature that epigenetic properties of OXTR, in addition to endogenous OT levels, are related to adult attachment. Further, the age effects observed in the associations between OXTR methylation, plasma OT, and adult attachment emphasize the importance of adopting a developmental perspective when studying properties of the OT system and their relation to affiliative processes. Findings contribute to growing evidence 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. •The study assessed associations between OXTR methylation, plasma oxytocin (OT), and attachment in young and older adults.•Lower OXTR methylation and higher OT were associated with less attachment anxiety in young but not older adults.•Contributions of OXTR methylation and OT on attachment were largely independent.•Epigenetic modifications of genes regulating OT pathways and OT levels are associated with affiliative processes.•Findings support importance of adopting a developmental perspective on the OT system in relation to affiliative processes.</abstract><cop>Netherlands</cop><pub>Elsevier B.V</pub><pmid>29410310</pmid><doi>10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.01.008</doi><tpages>11</tpages><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2705-7520</orcidid><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record>
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subjects Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Anxiety - physiopathology
Attachment
DNA Methylation
Epigenesis, Genetic
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Object Attachment
OXTR
Oxytocin - blood
Plasma OT
Receptors, Oxytocin - genetics
Young Adult
title Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood
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