TY - JOUR
T1 - Revisiting the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy
T2 - A population-based study and a meta-analysis
AU - Gong, Pingyuan
AU - Fan, Huiyong
AU - Liu, Jinting
AU - Yang, Xing
AU - Zhang, Kejin
AU - Zhou, Xiaolin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - Oxytocin in the brain is related to empathy, which refers to the ability to understand and share others’ internal states or responses. Previous studies have investigated the impact of OXTR rs53576, the most intensively examined polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, on individual differences in empathy. However, these studies produced inconsistent results. In the current study, we reexamined the association of OXTR rs53576 with empathy in a relatively large population (N = 1830) and also evaluated the association by a comprehensive meta-analysis (N = 6631, 13 independent samples). The replication study indicated that OXTR rs53576 was indeed associated with individual differences in empathy. Individuals with a greater number of G alleles showed better empathic ability, particularly in fantasizing other's feelings and actions. The meta-analysis not only confirmed this association, but also indicated that the impact of this polymorphism was significant in both Europeans and Asians. These findings provide convincing evidence for the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy, highlighting the importance of OXTR gene in individuals’ social cognition.
AB - Oxytocin in the brain is related to empathy, which refers to the ability to understand and share others’ internal states or responses. Previous studies have investigated the impact of OXTR rs53576, the most intensively examined polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, on individual differences in empathy. However, these studies produced inconsistent results. In the current study, we reexamined the association of OXTR rs53576 with empathy in a relatively large population (N = 1830) and also evaluated the association by a comprehensive meta-analysis (N = 6631, 13 independent samples). The replication study indicated that OXTR rs53576 was indeed associated with individual differences in empathy. Individuals with a greater number of G alleles showed better empathic ability, particularly in fantasizing other's feelings and actions. The meta-analysis not only confirmed this association, but also indicated that the impact of this polymorphism was significant in both Europeans and Asians. These findings provide convincing evidence for the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy, highlighting the importance of OXTR gene in individuals’ social cognition.
KW - Association analysis
KW - Empathy
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Oxytocin
KW - Polymorphism
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85016034697
U2 - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.005
DO - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.005
M3 - 文章
C2 - 28343138
AN - SCOPUS:85016034697
SN - 0306-4530
VL - 80
SP - 131
EP - 136
JO - Psychoneuroendocrinology
JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology
ER -
