OXTR empathy gene

[BdCdL]

Oxytocin is an hormone playing a crucial role in sociability, empathy, maternal behavior, trust and other feelings that help to build a stable society.
A deficiency of this hormone may be associated with sociopathic or psychopathic or narcissistic or manipulative behaviors.

Some links:
http://www.zmescience.com/medicine/genetic/niceness-is-in-your-genes-10042012/ (http://www.zmescience.com/medicine/genetic/niceness-is-in-your-genes-10042012/)
http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/science/news/niceness-may-be-predicted-by-our-genes/ (http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/science/news/niceness-may-be-predicted-by-our-genes/)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244014.php (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244014.php)
http://www.livescience.com/19580-niceness-dna-scientists-find.html (http://www.livescience.com/19580-niceness-dna-scientists-find.html)
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2012/04/13340.html (http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2012/04/13340.html)
http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/0411/nasty-or-nice-is-it-all-in-our-genes.aspx (http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/0411/nasty-or-nice-is-it-all-in-our-genes.aspx)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/afps-nia041712.php (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/afps-nia041712.php)
http://www.medicaldaily.com/niceness-may-largely-be-determined-dna-240108 (http://www.medicaldaily.com/niceness-may-largely-be-determined-dna-240108)
http://psychology.buffalo.edu/about-us/faculty/poulin/ (http://psychology.buffalo.edu/about-us/faculty/poulin/)
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/niceness-is-at-least-partly-in-the-genes.html (http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/niceness-is-at-least-partly-in-the-genes.html)
http://memesprit.fr/2012/02/norepinephrine-serotonine-ocytocine-vasopressine-et-prolactine/ (http://memesprit.fr/2012/02/norepinephrine-serotonine-ocytocine-vasopressine-et-prolactine/)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/do-these-genes-make-my-heart-seem-big-study-finds-a-gene-for-empathy-.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/do-these-genes-make-my-heart-seem-big-study-finds-a-gene-for-empathy-.html)
http://fr.sott.net/article/9530-Confiance-moralite-et-ocytocine-video (http://fr.sott.net/article/9530-Confiance-moralite-et-ocytocine-video)
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocytocine (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocytocine)
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasopressine#Vasopressine_et_comportement_sexuel_. 26_parental (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasopressine#Vasopressine_et_comportement_sexuel_. 26_parental)
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasopressine#Vasopressine_chez_l.27homme (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasopressine#Vasopressine_chez_l.27homme)
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comportement_prosocial (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comportement_prosocial)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosocial_behavior#Psychopathy.2C_a_disorder_chara cterized_by_a_lack_of_prosocial_behavior (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosocial_behavior#Psychopathy.2C_a_disorder_chara cterized_by_a_lack_of_prosocial_behavior)
http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/03/28/0956797611428471.abstract (http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/03/28/0956797611428471.abstract)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19580556 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19580556)
https://www.23andme.com/you/explorer/snp/?snp_name=rs53576 (https://www.23andme.com/you/explorer/snp/?snp_name=rs53576)

Rs53576 gene is on 3d chromosome, so NOT linked to sex (Warrior gene is: on X gene).

Marker of the oxytocin receptor gene: http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs53576 (http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs53576)

[Little bit]

Before all the GG's start congratulating themselves for their intrinsic goodness, I thought I'd add an alternate viewpoint of the cuddle hormone:


The love drug also plays an important role in intensifying negative emotional memories and increasing feelings of fear in future stressful situations, according to a new study.
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/love-hormone-isnt-anti-anxiety-drug-we-thought-it-was


However, recent research suggests that the so-called “cuddle hormone” may have a dark side by increasing relationship violence.
http://www.scienceofrelationships.com/home/2014/4/30/the-dark-side-of-oxytocin.html


Increasingly, however, scientists are finding that the hormone has a dark side—and now researchers have discovered it also can promote ethnocentrism, potentially fueling xenophobia, prejudice and violence.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-love-hate-relationship/

Like 10% of the 540 samples at Opensnp, I am AA and I was tested for the warrior gene at FTDNA and I carry 2 copies of the 3 repeat warrior version. Like the OXTR snp, the warrior variant has 2 sides and has also been linked with positive traits such as increased happy feelings for women and disdain for social injustice. Like anything else, there are trade-offs and environment likely plays a big role on outcome.

[SwampThing27]

I am AG for this one

[BdCdL]

@LittleBit ... I see you defend very well your AA characteristics.
These researches proves that the reactive action of GG coud be very strong but they are clear: It's NOT a proactive violence like with MAOA warriors but a protective one, a "maternal type" one or a veggie mammal style.
Of course, this should be studied in combination with warrior gene. I guess this reaction is stronger with a proactive aggressivity of warrior characteristic.
There are NO real psychopath with GG on OXTR snp... or this must come from other characteristics. For example a 2 repeats MAOA (strong potential of psychopathy).

Also, AA trends to be manipulative (narcissic "looking good") with the test when GG are simply honest.
"Those receiving oxytocin may have simply been more honest, while those not receiving oxytocin gave answers that made them look good."

[Raskolnikov]

I'm AA, finally a good result!

[Táltos]

Before all the GG's start congratulating themselves for their intrinsic goodness, I thought I'd add an alternate viewpoint of the cuddle hormone:


http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/love-hormone-isnt-anti-anxiety-drug-we-thought-it-was


http://www.scienceofrelationships.com/home/2014/4/30/the-dark-side-of-oxytocin.html


http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-love-hate-relationship/

Like 10% of the 540 samples at Opensnp, I am AA and I was tested for the warrior gene at FTDNA and I carry 2 copies of the 3 repeat warrior version. Like the OXTR snp, the warrior variant has 2 sides and has also been linked with positive traits such as increased happy feelings for women and disdain for social injustice. Like anything else, there are trade-offs and environment likely plays a big role on outcome.

Little bit my mom had been AA too. I'm AG. This is an interesting topic, but I agree that environment likely plays a big role.

[jesus]

I'm GG, my sister is also GG. I always knew that I'm a very nice person deep inside :P

[alan]

Empathy and kindness are the greatest human virtue by a very long way. A great deal more important than being a genius or dominant. Its what makes life worth living

[Petr]

In our family we have one person that stands for high empathy. He has rs53576 = AA. He is much more empathetic than his sister with AG.

So it does not look very reliable.

In total, we have 5x GG, 3x AA, 9x AG in our broader family. I'm AG.

[rock hunter]

My cousin calls it the sucker gene
Everyone asks her for favors
and she does not, even cannot refuse but
if she asks for a favor then all of a sudden
no one has the time for her .

[BdCdL]

Genetics is complex, so there are always many SNP's contributing to our personality.
Rs53576 is also one.
News: There is also another one acting on Ocytocin: rs2254298 ... If you are (G;G) there, this can compensate.
http://snpedia.com/index.php/Rs2254298
(http://snpedia.com/index.php/Rs2254298)
Environment is also very important: It's impacting on our epigenetic reactions.
If you are (A;A) on Rs53576 and you feel you are good inside, it's probably because you have been well educated with a deep loving environment.
There is a public example.
An american psychologist discovered that he had a strong genetic pattern of psychopath ... but he is in fact a very nice person.
Intelligently, he published this fact, showed also his nice affective environment (family, wife,...) ... and got the respect of many people.
So, happily, there is NO absolute determinism. Predictive medicine is also a probabilistic medicine.

[alan]

My cousin calls it the sucker gene
Everyone asks her for favors
and she does not, even cannot refuse but
if she asks for a favor then all of a sudden
no one has the time for her .

People like her who give with no expectation of return of favour are the best human beings. Without them the world would be a horrible place. Is that not what Jesus preached.

[BdCdL]

OK... Then, let's go negative for both:

Would you it be better for the society a "sucker" gene (empathy) or a "psychopath" (manipulation) gene?

The fact is that (G;G) carriers are the most lucky.
The hope for A carriers is that in the future, genome editing will become more precise and it will be possible to switch the A alleles to G.
This will probably become the most popular editing... specially asked by the justice to prevent psychopathic behaviors and spare money for the system.
That's one of the projects of transhumanist folks.

[alan]

My cousin calls it the sucker gene
Everyone asks her for favors
and she does not, even cannot refuse but
if she asks for a favor then all of a sudden
no one has the time for her .

the whole point of kind acts worth anything is they are unilateral with no expectation of anything back. To some extent if you expect something back or praise/publicity it devalues kind acts - well certainly that is the Christian way of looking at it. Very empathetic people may be vulenerable to exploiters but most people are neither and the empathetic people make the world different from the animal kingdom - its what makes us human. People with no empathy like sociopaths are not humans IMO. They lack the essential ingredient and are basically intelligent predators.

[alan]

Of course a lot of damage is done by high functioning psychopaths who can hide their true nature and have a knack - being free of guilt or empathy-to make it to the top. History is full of them and many believe a lot of politicians, top bankers, heads of corporations etc are too. The low functioning ones - probably more common - end up in prisons. A crazy amount of the violent prisoners have been diagnoses as psychopaths/sociopaths.

I agree with above post that it would be desirable to be able to screen out those genes if we were playing god because a hell of a lot of crime in any given area is carried out by a tiny minority of mega-offenders who are like one man crime waves. I also have noticed in reading that an astonishing amount of unsolved non-domestic/non-gangland murders seem to eventually be traced to a handful of serial killers - often decades later and with DNA breakthroughs. The world would be a better place if they had never existed.

One thing though is that psychopathy is a genetic susceptibility not an inevitability. It is believed the first year or two of a life is crucial in the formation of the brain and whether the treatment is warm or cold or abusive can be the factors that make the difference between an unfulfilled genetic susceptibility and a sociopath. So intervention in seruously crazy home can save the child. However apparent this early period actually forms the brain structures in some parts and once the harm is done it is irreversible. Kids without the genetic susceptibility for sociopathy can survive bad conditions and crazy parents and turn out normal but it appears the combination of genetic susceptibility and very adverse conditions/parenting coming together in the first couple of years is what creates many low functioning psychopaths. It is part genetic and so it doesnt take a genius to work out that if a person has the susceptibility then so might their parents or grandparents and so sociopathy could run through the generations.

[BdCdL]

Gemetrics provides an interesting test for the analysis of personality for 60 canadian $.
You just have to lick a sheet of paper out of your printer and send them to get the result ... and T-shirt matching with your personality.

http://www.anthrogenica.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7288&stc=1
http://www.gemetrics.com/

[Stephen1986]

For rs53576 both my brother and myself are GG. I would say we're fairly empathetic people but at the same time not the most empathetic of people.

For rs2254298 my brother has GG and I have AG.

[BdCdL]

Environment & epigenetics are clearly playing an important Role.
There's a very famous example for this: James H.Fallon who has been categorized as a "prosocial psychopath".
.... But he recognizes himself that he had benefit of a very nice education and social environment where empathy was highly valuated.
If someone with the genetic characteristics of a psychopath, it's important that this person benefits of the same kind of environment... continuously.

[firemonkey]

I am AA. If anything I am too nice in that I am not good at holding my corner and will put others first even if it's to my own detriment. Degree of empathy can not and should not be decided by this snp alone.

[drobbah]

AG for both snps.I'm assuming I got the A from my father who isn't that social and likes to keep himself (never seen him cry ever) while my mother is just too nice and always has a smile on her face.So ye being AG doesn't surprise me at all

[Passa]

rs53576: AA.

I don't know the status of the other SNP mentioned above.

[Asimakidis]

AA...on Rs53576.
AG on rs2254298

[Mestace]

rs53576 A or G AG
rs2254298 A or G GG

[Deftextra]

rs53576 GG

can not find the other snp??

[catman44]

Rs53576: GG

for me

[catman44]

rs2254298: AG