The Williams syndrome prosociality gene GTF2I mediates oxytocin reactivity and social anxiety in a healthy population.

ABSTRACT: The neurohormone oxytocin plays a central role in human social behaviour and cognition, and oxytocin dysregulation may contribute to psychiatric disorders. However, genetic factors influencing individual variation in the oxytocinergic system remain poorly understood. We genotyped 169 healthy adults for a functional polymorphism in GTF2I (general transcription factor II-I), a gene associated with high prosociality and reduced social anxiety in Williams syndrome, a condition reported to involve high oxytocin levels and reactivity. Participants' salivary oxytocin levels were measured before and after watching a validated empathy-inducing video. Oxytocin reactivity, defined as pre- to post-video percentage change in salivary oxytocin, varied substantially and significantly betwee

SUBMITTER: Procyshyn TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5414696 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature