Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood.
Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood.
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DOI：
10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.01.008
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发表时间：
2019-03
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Connelly JJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ebner NC;Lin T;Muradoglu M;Weir DH;Plasencia GM;Lillard TS;Pournajafi-Nazarloo H;Cohen RA;Sue Carter C;Connelly JJ
神经肽催产素（OT）已被牵连在广泛的亲和过程。OT通过OT受体发挥其功能，OT受体由催产素受体基因（OXTR）编码。通过DNA甲基化过程对OXTR的表观遗传修饰与行为表型的个体差异有关。具体而言，较低水平的OXTR甲基化与更好的社会和情感功能有关。然而，OXTR的表观遗传学机制的研究在非临床人群中是稀缺的，甚至更少的是知道在成年期的表观遗传变异。本研究评估了22名年轻（20-31岁，M = 23.6）和34名老年（63-80岁，M = 71.4）参与者的OXTR CpG位点-934甲基化水平和血浆OT水平。较低的OXTR甲基化水平和较高的血浆OT水平与年轻参与者而非老年参与者较少的自我报告的依恋焦虑相关，OXTR甲基化和血浆OT水平在很大程度上独立贡献。相反，在整个样本中，较低水平的OXTR甲基化与较高的自我报告的依恋回避相关。年龄分析表明，这些结果主要是由年轻人驱动的。血浆OT水平与依恋回避无关。总之，这些发现支持了文献中新兴的观点，即除了内源性OT水平外，OXTR的表观遗传特性与成人依恋有关。此外，OXTR甲基化，血浆OT和成人依恋之间的关联中观察到的年龄效应强调了在研究OT系统的特性及其与亲和过程的关系时采用发展视角的重要性。越来越多的证据表明，调节OT途径和内源性OT水平的基因的表观遗传修饰与人们形成和维持亲密社会关系的方式有关。
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.
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影响因子：
11
作者：
Cecil, C. A. M.;Lysenko, L. J.;Jaffee, S. R.;Pingault, J-B;Smith, R. G.;Relton, C. L.;Woodward, G.;McArdle, W.;Mill, J.;Barker, E. D.
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影响因子：
4.8
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1.7
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3.7
作者：
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影响因子：
2.7
作者：
Carter, C. Sue
通讯作者：
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