51
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Kosaka H, Okamoto Y, Munesue T, Yamasue H, Inohara K, Fujioka T, Anme T, Orisaka M, Ishitobi M, Jung M, Fujisawa TX, Tanaka S, Arai S, Asano M, Saito DN, Sadato N, Tomoda A, Omori M, Sato M, Okazawa H, Higashida H, Wada Y. Oxytocin efficacy is modulated by dosage and oxytocin receptor genotype in young adults with high-functioning autism: a 24-week randomized clinical trial. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e872. [PMID: 27552585 PMCID: PMC5022092 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that long-term oxytocin administration can alleviate the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, factors influencing its efficacy are still unclear. We conducted a single-center phase 2, pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, clinical trial in young adults with high-functioning ASD, to determine whether oxytocin dosage and genetic background of the oxytocin receptor affects oxytocin efficacy. This trial consisted of double-blind (12 weeks), open-label (12 weeks) and follow-up phases (8 weeks). To examine dose dependency, 60 participants were randomly assigned to high-dose (32 IU per day) or low-dose intranasal oxytocin (16 IU per day), or placebo groups during the double-blind phase. Next, we measured single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). In the intention-to-treat population, no outcomes were improved after oxytocin administration. However, in male participants, Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scores in the high-dose group, but not the low-dose group, were significantly higher than in the placebo group. Furthermore, we examined whether oxytocin efficacy, reflected in the CGI-I scores, is influenced by estimated daily dosage and OXTR polymorphisms in male participants. We found that >21 IU per day oxytocin was more effective than ⩽21 IU per day, and that a SNP in OXTR (rs6791619) predicted CGI-I scores for ⩽21 IU per day oxytocin treatment. No severe adverse events occurred. These results suggest that efficacy of long-term oxytocin administration in young men with high-functioning ASD depends on the oxytocin dosage and genetic background of the oxytocin receptor, which contributes to the effectiveness of oxytocin treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Kosaka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuokashimoaizuki, Eiheiji 910-1193, Fukui, Japan. E-mail:
| | - Y Okamoto
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - T Munesue
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - H Yamasue
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K Inohara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Department of Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Chofu, Japan
| | - T Fujioka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - T Anme
- International Community Care and Lifespan Development, Empowerment Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - M Orisaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - M Ishitobi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
| | - M Jung
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - T X Fujisawa
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - S Tanaka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - S Arai
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - M Asano
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - D N Saito
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Biomedical Imaging Research Center, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - N Sadato
- Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - A Tomoda
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - M Omori
- Faculty of Nursing and Social Welfare Sciences, Fukui Prefectural University, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - M Sato
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Japan
| | - H Okazawa
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Biomedical Imaging Research Center, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
| | - H Higashida
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Y Wada
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan
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52
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Evaluation of polygenic risks for narcolepsy and essential hypersomnia. J Hum Genet 2016; 61:873-878. [DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2016.65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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53
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Kim KC, Gonzales EL, Lázaro MT, Choi CS, Bahn GH, Yoo HJ, Shin CY. Clinical and Neurobiological Relevance of Current Animal Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2016; 24:207-43. [PMID: 27133257 PMCID: PMC4859786 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2016.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication impairments, as well as repetitive and restrictive behaviors. The phenotypic heterogeneity of ASD has made it overwhelmingly difficult to determine the exact etiology and pathophysiology underlying the core symptoms, which are often accompanied by comorbidities such as hyperactivity, seizures, and sensorimotor abnormalities. To our benefit, the advent of animal models has allowed us to assess and test diverse risk factors of ASD, both genetic and environmental, and measure their contribution to the manifestation of autistic symptoms. At a broader scale, rodent models have helped consolidate molecular pathways and unify the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying each one of the various etiologies. This approach will potentially enable the stratification of ASD into clinical, molecular, and neurophenotypic subgroups, further proving their translational utility. It is henceforth paramount to establish a common ground of mechanistic theories from complementing results in preclinical research. In this review, we cluster the ASD animal models into lesion and genetic models and further classify them based on the corresponding environmental, epigenetic and genetic factors. Finally, we summarize the symptoms and neuropathological highlights for each model and make critical comparisons that elucidate their clinical and neurobiological relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Chan Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Center for Neuroscience Research, SMART Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Edson Luck Gonzales
- Center for Neuroscience Research, SMART Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.,School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - María T Lázaro
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Chang Soon Choi
- Center for Neuroscience Research, SMART Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.,School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Geon Ho Bahn
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Jeong Yoo
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bungdang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Young Shin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, SMART Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.,School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
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54
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Stoop R, Hegoburu C, van den Burg E. New opportunities in vasopressin and oxytocin research: a perspective from the amygdala. Annu Rev Neurosci 2016; 38:369-88. [PMID: 26154981 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-071714-033904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In the present review, we discuss how the evolution of oxytocin and vasopressin from a single ancestor peptide after gene duplication has stimulated the development of the vertebrate social brain. Separate production sites became possible with a hypothalamic development, which, interestingly, is triggered by the same transcription factors that underlie the development of various subcortical regions where vasopressin and oxytocin receptors are adjacently expressed and which are connected by inhibitory circuits. The opposite modulation of their output by vasopressin and oxytocin could thus create a dynamic equilibrium for rapid responsiveness to external stimuli. At the level of the individual, nurturing early in life can long-lastingly program oxytocin signaling, maintaining a capability of learning and sensitivity to external stimuli that contributes to development of social behavior in adulthood. Oxytocin and vasopressin are thus important for the development of a vertebrate brain that supports bonding between individuals and building of an interactive community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron Stoop
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, 1008 Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland;
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55
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McDonald NM, Baker JK, Messinger DS. Oxytocin and parent-child interaction in the development of empathy among children at risk for autism. Dev Psychol 2016; 52:735-45. [PMID: 26998571 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This longitudinal study investigated whether variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and early parent-child interactions predicted later empathic behavior in 84 toddlers at high or low familial risk for autism spectrum disorder. Two well-studied OXTR single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs53576 and rs2254298, were examined. Parent-child interaction was measured at 15 and 18 months of age during free play sessions. Empathy was measured at 24 and 30 months using a response to parental distress paradigm. While there was no direct association between parent-child interaction quality or OXTR and empathy, rs53576 moderated the relation between interaction quality and empathy. Results suggest that the interplay between OXTR and early parent-child interactions predicts individual differences in empathy in children at varying risk for atypical social development. Findings are consonant with a differential susceptibility model in which an OXTR variant may increase the social salience of interaction processes for specific allele carriers. These results increase our understanding of predictors of empathy development in young children with a wide range of social outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason K Baker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, California State University
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56
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Husarova VM, Lakatosova S, Pivovarciova A, Babinska K, Bakos J, Durdiakova J, Kubranska A, Ondrejka I, Ostatnikova D. Plasma Oxytocin in Children with Autism and Its Correlations with Behavioral Parameters in Children and Parents. Psychiatry Investig 2016; 13:174-83. [PMID: 27081377 PMCID: PMC4823192 DOI: 10.4306/pi.2016.13.2.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2015] [Revised: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Oxytocin (OT) has been implicated to play an important role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) etiology. We aimed to find out the differences in plasma OT levels between children with autism and healthy children, the associations of OT levels with particular autism symptoms and the associations of particular parental autistic traits with their ASD children OT levels. METHODS We included 19 boys with autism and 44 healthy age-matched boys. OT levels were analyzed by ELISA method. Children with autism were scored by Childhood Autism Rating Scale and Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI), adjusted research version. Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Systemizing Quotient (SQ) and Empathizing Quotient were completed by parents of children with autism. RESULTS Children with autism had significantly lower plasma OT levels than controls. OT levels positively correlated with ADI Reciprocal Interaction and Communication scores. AQ and SQ of fathers positively correlated with children plasma OT level. CONCLUSION Our results support the hypothesis of OT deficiency in autism. The "paradoxical" associations of OT levels and social skills in children with autism indicate disturbances at various levels of OT system. We first reported associations of OT levels in children with autism and behavioral measures in fathers indicating that OT abnormalities stay between parental autistic traits and autism symptoms in their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Marcincakova Husarova
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Martin University Hospital and Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Silvia Lakatosova
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anna Pivovarciova
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Babinska
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jan Bakos
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jaroslava Durdiakova
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Aneta Kubranska
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Igor Ondrejka
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Martin University Hospital and Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Ostatnikova
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
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57
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Guastella AJ, Hickie IB. Oxytocin Treatment, Circuitry, and Autism: A Critical Review of the Literature Placing Oxytocin Into the Autism Context. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:234-42. [PMID: 26257243 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Observed impairment in reciprocal social interaction is a diagnostic hallmark of autism spectrum disorders. There is no effective medical treatment for these problems. Psychological treatments remain costly, time intensive, and developmentally sensitive for efficacy. In this review, we explore the potential of oxytocin-based therapies for social impairments in autism. Evidence shows that acute oxytocin administration improves numerous markers critical to the social circuitry underlying social deficits in autism. Oxytocin may optimize these circuits and enhance reward, motivation, and learning to improve therapeutic outcomes. Despite this, the current evidence of therapeutic benefit from extended oxytocin treatment remains very limited. We highlight complexity in crossing from the laboratory to the autism clinical setting in evaluation of this therapeutic. We discuss a clinical trial approach that provides optimal opportunity for therapeutic response by using personalized methods that better target specific circuitry to define who will obtain benefit, at what stage of development, and the optimal delivery approach for circuitry manipulation. For the autism field, the therapeutic challenges will be resolved by a range of treatment strategies, including greater focus on specific interventions, such as oxytocin, that have a strong basis in the fundamental neurobiology of social behavior. More sophisticated and targeted clinical trials utilizing such approaches are now required, placing oxytocin into the autism context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Guastella
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain & Mind Research Institute, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Ian B Hickie
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain & Mind Research Institute, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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58
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Kranz TM, Kopp M, Waltes R, Sachse M, Duketis E, Jarczok TA, Degenhardt F, Görgen K, Meyer J, Freitag CM, Chiocchetti AG. Meta-analysis and association of two common polymorphisms of the human oxytocin receptor gene in autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2016; 9:1036-1045. [PMID: 26788924 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptides such as oxytocin (OXT) are known facilitators of social behavior across species. Variants of the OXT receptor gene (OXTR) have been tested for association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across manifold ethnicities, yielding both positive and negative findings. A recent meta-analysis, comprising 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), has corroborated the implication of OXTR in the etiology of ASD. Here, we genotyped and tested two additional variants (rs237889 and rs237897) for association with ASD in two German predominantly high-functioning ASD samples. We found nominal over-transmission (OR = 1.48, CI95 = 1.06-2.08, P = 0.022) for the minor A allele of variant rs237889G>A in sample 1 (N = 135 complete parent-offspring trios, 29 parent child duos), but not in sample 2 (362 trios, 69 duos). Still, in a meta-analysis comprising four different studies including the two unreported German data sets (N = 542 families), this finding was confirmed (OR = 1.12; CI95 = 1.01-1.24, random effects P = 0.012). In addition, carriers of the minor risk allele rs237889-A showed significantly increased severity scores, as assessed through the autism diagnostic interview - revised (ADI-R), with highly significant increases in social interaction deficits. Our results corroborate the implication of common OXTR variants in the etiology of ASD. There is a need for functional studies to delineate the neurobiological implications of this and other association findings. (172/250). Autism Res 2016, 9: 1036-1045. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten M Kranz
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, Trier, D-54290, Germany
| | - Marnie Kopp
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany
| | - Regina Waltes
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany
| | - Michael Sachse
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany
| | - Eftichia Duketis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany
| | - Tomasz A Jarczok
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany
| | - Franziska Degenhardt
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn, D-53127, Germany
| | - Katharina Görgen
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, Trier, D-54290, Germany
| | - Jobst Meyer
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, Trier, D-54290, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany
| | - Andreas G Chiocchetti
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, JW Goethe University Frankfurt, Deutschordenstraße 50, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany.
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Singletary WM. An integrative model of autism spectrum disorder: ASD as a neurobiological disorder of experienced environmental deprivation, early life stress and allostatic overload. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/15294145.2015.1092334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Harrison AJ, Gamsiz ED, Berkowitz IC, Nagpal S, Jerskey BA. Genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene is associated with a social phenotype in autism spectrum disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2015; 168:720-9. [PMID: 26365303 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin regulates social behavior in animal models. Research supports an association between genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In this study, we examine the association between the OXTR gene and a specific social phenotype within ASD. This genotype-phenotype investigation may provide insight into how OXTR conveys risk for social impairment. The current study investigated 10 SNPS in the OXTR gene that have been previously shown to be associated with ASD. We examine the association of these SNPs with both a social phenotype and a repetitive behavior phenotype comprised of behaviors commonly impaired in ASD in the Simons simplex collection (SSC). Using a large sample to examine the association between OXTR and ASD (n = range: 485-1002), we find evidence to support a relation between two OXTR SNPs and the examined social phenotype among children diagnosed with ASD. Greater impairment on the social responsiveness scale standardized total score and on several subdomains was observed among individuals with one or more copies of the minor frequency allele in both rs7632287 and rs237884. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping suggests that these two SNPs are in LD within and overlapping the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the OXTR gene. These two SNPs were also associated with greater impairment on the repetitive behavior scale. Results of this study indicate that social impairment and repetitive behaviors in ASD are associated with genomic variation in the 3'UTR of the OXTR gene. These variants may be linked to an allele that alters stability of the mRNA message although further work is necessary to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley J Harrison
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Ece D Gamsiz
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.,Developmental Disorders Genetics Research Program, Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, Rhode Island
| | - Isaac C Berkowitz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Shailender Nagpal
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Beth A Jerskey
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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61
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Wade M, Hoffmann TJ, Jenkins JM. Gene-environment interaction between the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and parenting behaviour on children's theory of mind. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 10:1749-57. [PMID: 25977357 PMCID: PMC4666114 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to interpret and understand human behaviour by representing the mental states of others. Like many human capacities, ToM is thought to develop through both complex biological and socialization mechanisms. However, no study has examined the joint effect of genetic and environmental influences on ToM. This study examined how variability in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and parenting behavior--two widely studied factors in ToM development-interacted to predict ToM in pre-school-aged children. Participants were 301 children who were part of an ongoing longitudinal birth cohort study. ToM was assessed at age 4.5 using a previously validated scale. Parenting was assessed through observations of mothers' cognitively sensitive behaviours. Using a family-based association design, it was suggestive that a particular variant (rs11131149) interacted with maternal cognitive sensitivity on children's ToM (P = 0.019). More copies of the major allele were associated with higher ToM as a function of increasing cognitive sensitivity. A sizeable 26% of the variability in ToM was accounted for by this interaction. This study provides the first empirical evidence of gene-environment interactions on ToM, supporting the notion that genetic factors may be modulated by potent environmental influences early in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V6 and
| | - Thomas J Hoffmann
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute for Human Genetics, University of California at San Francisco, UCSF Box 0794, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S965, San Francisco, CA 94143-0794, USA
| | - Jennifer M Jenkins
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V6 and
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Lee SY, Lee AR, Hwangbo R, Han J, Hong M, Bahn GH. Is Oxytocin Application for Autism Spectrum Disorder Evidence-Based? Exp Neurobiol 2015; 24:312-24. [PMID: 26713079 PMCID: PMC4688331 DOI: 10.5607/en.2015.24.4.312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits within two core symptom domains: social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Although numerous studies have reported psychopharmacological treatment outcomes for the core symptom domains of ASD, there are not enough studies on fundamental treatments based on the etiological pathology of ASD. Studies on candidate medications related to the pathogenesis of ASD, such as naltrexone and secretin, were conducted, but the results were inconclusive. Oxytocin has been identified as having an important role in maternal behavior and attachment, and it has been recognized as a key factor in the social developmental deficit seen in ASD. Genetic studies have also identified associations between ASD and the oxytocin pathway. As ASD has its onset in infancy, parents are willing to try even experimental or unapproved treatments in an effort to avoid missing the critical period for diagnosis and treatment, which can place their child in an irreversible state. While therapeutic application of oxytocin for ASD is in its early stages, we have concluded that oxytocin would be a promising therapeutic substance via a thorough literature review focusing on the following: the relationship between oxytocin and sociality; single nucleotide polymorphisms as a biological marker of ASD; and validity verification of oxytocin treatment in humans. We also reviewed materials related to the mechanism of oxytocin action that may support its potential application in treating ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Yup Lee
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02543, Korea
| | - Ah Rah Lee
- Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02543, Korea
| | - Ram Hwangbo
- Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Juhee Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Minha Hong
- Department of Psychiatry, Seonam University, College of Medicine, Myongji Hospital, Goyang 10475, Korea
| | - Geon Ho Bahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Korea
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63
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Lack of Association between Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) Gene Polymorphisms and Alexithymia: Evidence from Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143168. [PMID: 26599592 PMCID: PMC4658073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin receptor gene single nucleotide polymorphisms have been associated with structural and functional alterations in brain regions, which involve social-emotional processing. Therefore, oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms may contribute to individual differences in alexithymia, which is considered to be a dysfunction of emotional processing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between oxytocin receptor gene single nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes and alexithymia in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. We recruited 355 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (234 men, 121 women). Alexithymia was measured by using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. We performed single-marker and haplotype association analyses with eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs237885, rs237887, rs2268490, rs4686301, rs2254298, rs13316193, rs53576, and rs2268498) in the oxytocin receptor gene. There were no significant associations between any of the eight single nucleotide polymorphism of the oxytocin receptor gene and alexithymia. In addition, a six-locus haplotype block (rs237885-rs237887-rs2268490-rs4686301-rs2254298-rs13316193) was not significantly associated with alexithymia. These findings suggest that genetic variations in the oxytocin receptor gene may not explain a significant part of alexithymia in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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64
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Okaty BW, Freret ME, Rood BD, Brust RD, Hennessy ML, deBairos D, Kim JC, Cook MN, Dymecki SM. Multi-Scale Molecular Deconstruction of the Serotonin Neuron System. Neuron 2015; 88:774-91. [PMID: 26549332 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Serotonergic (5HT) neurons modulate diverse behaviors and physiology and are implicated in distinct clinical disorders. Corresponding diversity in 5HT neuronal phenotypes is becoming apparent and is likely rooted in molecular differences, yet a comprehensive approach characterizing molecular variation across the 5HT system is lacking, as is concomitant linkage to cellular phenotypes. Here we combine intersectional fate mapping, neuron sorting, and genome-wide RNA-seq to deconstruct the mouse 5HT system at multiple levels of granularity-from anatomy, to genetic sublineages, to single neurons. Our unbiased analyses reveal principles underlying system organization, 5HT neuron subtypes, constellations of differentially expressed genes distinguishing subtypes, and predictions of subtype-specific functions. Using electrophysiology, subtype-specific neuron silencing, and conditional gene knockout, we show that these molecularly defined 5HT neuron subtypes are functionally distinct. Collectively, this resource classifies molecular diversity across the 5HT system and discovers sertonergic subtypes, markers, organizing principles, and subtype-specific functions with potential disease relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin W Okaty
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Morgan E Freret
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin D Rood
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rachael D Brust
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Morgan L Hennessy
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Danielle deBairos
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jun Chul Kim
- Psychology Department, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Melloni N Cook
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, 400 Innovation Drive, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Susan M Dymecki
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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65
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Bartholomeusz CF, Ganella EP, Labuschagne I, Bousman C, Pantelis C. Effects of oxytocin and genetic variants on brain and behaviour: Implications for treatment in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2015; 168:614-27. [PMID: 26123171 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in social cognition and poor social functioning are core features of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. In recent years, there has been a move towards developing new treatment strategies that specifically target social cognitive and social behavioural deficits. Oxytocin (OXT) is one such strategy that has gained increasing attention. There is a strong rationale for studying OXT in psychosis, from both an evolutionary perspective and neurodevelopmental-cognitive model of schizophrenia. Thus, the aim of this review was to critique and examine the observational and clinical oxytocin trial literature in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. A handful of clinical trials suggest that OXT treatment may be beneficial for remediating social cognitive impairments, psychiatric symptoms, and improving social outcomes. However, inconsistencies exist in this literature, which may be explained by individual differences in the underlying neural response to OXT treatment and/or variation in the oxytocin and oxytocin receptor genes. Therefore, we additionally reviewed the evidence for structural and functional neural intermediate phenotypes in humans that link genetic variants to social behaviour/thinking, and discuss the implications of such interactions in the context of dysfunctional brain networks in schizophrenia. Factors that pose challenges for future OXT clinical research include the impact of age, sex, and ancestry, task-specific effects, bioavailability and pharmacokinetics, as well as neurotransmitter and drug interactions. While initial findings from OXT single dose/clinical trial studies are promising, more interdisciplinary research in both healthy and psychiatric populations is needed before determining whether OXT is a viable treatment option/adjunct for addressing poor illness outcomes in psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cali F Bartholomeusz
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and the Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Eleni P Ganella
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and the Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia
| | - Izelle Labuschagne
- School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chad Bousman
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christos Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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66
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Ayaz AB, Karkucak M, Ayaz M, Gokce S, Kayan E, Güler EE, Güngen BD, Kuşcu TD, Ocakoğlu G, Yakut T. Oxytocin system social function impacts in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2015; 168:609-16. [PMID: 26174935 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
To investigate relationships between the polymorphisms and social functioning of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to the polymorphism of three oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genes (rs53576, rs13316193, and and rs2268493). A total of 198 children-studying in the same primary and secondary school and matched in terms of age and gender (99 ADHD, 99 control)-were included in this study. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version was administered to establish the clinical diagnosis. The Social Reciprocity Scale (SRS) was applied to evaluate social functioning. The total genomic DNA was isolated from buccal mucosa samples. No significant differences were determined between the ADHD and control groups in terms of rs2268493, rs13316193, and rs53576 genotype distribution (P = 0.078, P = 0.330, and P = 0.149, respectively). However, the control group T allele frequency in the OXTR Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) rs2268493 was significantly higher than the ADHD group (P = 0.024). Compared to the control group, the ADHD group had a higher score on the SRS scale (SRS total; Z = -21,135, P < 0.001). No significant difference existed in the SRS scale scores between the children with the T/T genotype and the C allele in the ADHD group (SRS total; Z = -0.543, P = 0.587). The allele distribution of the OXTR gene SNP rs2268493 was significantly different in the ADHD group, compared to the control group. This observation is important in understanding the underlying biological infrastructure in ADHD and developing treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayşe Burcu Ayaz
- Department of Child, and Adolescent Psychiatry, Marmara University Pendik Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mutlu Karkucak
- Department of Medical Genetics, Sakarya University Research and Training Hospital Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey
| | - Muhammed Ayaz
- Department of Child Development, School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Arel University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sebla Gokce
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erenkoy Psychiatry and Neurology Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Esengul Kayan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Canakkale State Hospital, Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Elif Erol Güler
- Clinic of Psychology, Sakarya University Research and Training Hospital Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey
| | - Belma Doğan Güngen
- Department of Neurology, Sakarya University Research and Training Hospital Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey
| | - Tugba Didem Kuşcu
- Department of Child, and Adolescent Psychiatry, Marmara University Pendik Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gökhan Ocakoğlu
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Tahsin Yakut
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey
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67
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Genetic modulation of oxytocin sensitivity: a pharmacogenetic approach. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e664. [PMID: 26506050 PMCID: PMC4930136 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin has been shown to influence a range of complex social cognitions and social behaviors, and it holds therapeutic potential for the treatment of mental disorders characterized by social functioning deficits such as autism, social phobia and borderline personality disorder. However, considerable variability exists in individual responses to oxytocin administration. Here, we undertook a study to investigate the role of genetic variation in sensitivity to exogenous oxytocin using a socioemotional task. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment with a repeated-measures (crossover) design, we assessed the performance of 203 men on an emotion recognition task under oxytocin and placebo. We took a haplotype-based approach to investigate the association between oxytocin receptor gene variation and oxytocin sensitivity. We identified a six-marker haplotype block spanning the promoter region and intron 3 that was significantly associated with our measure of oxytocin sensitivity. Specifically, the TTCGGG haplotype comprising single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs237917-rs2268498-rs4564970-rs237897-rs2268495-rs53576 is associated with increased emotion recognition performance under oxytocin versus placebo, and the CCGAGA haplotype with the opposite pattern. These results on the genetic modulation of sensitivity to oxytocin document a significant source of individual differences with implications for personalized treatment approaches using oxytocin administration.
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68
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Abstract
Over 70 years since the first description of the disease, disrupted social behavior remains a core clinical feature of autistic spectrum disorder. The complex etiology of the disorder portends the need for a better understanding of the brain mechanisms that enable social behaviors, particularly those that are relevant to autism which is characterized by a failure to develop peer relationships, difficulty with emotional reciprocity and imitative play, and disrupted language and communication skills. Toward this end, the current review will examine recent progress that has been made toward understanding the neural mechanisms underlying consociate social attachments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gül Dölen
- a Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities , Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore , MD , USA
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69
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Liu X, Shimada T, Otowa T, Wu YY, Kawamura Y, Tochigi M, Iwata Y, Umekage T, Toyota T, Maekawa M, Iwayama Y, Suzuki K, Kakiuchi C, Kuwabara H, Kano Y, Nishida H, Sugiyama T, Kato N, Chen CH, Mori N, Yamada K, Yoshikawa T, Kasai K, Tokunaga K, Sasaki T, Gau SSF. Genome-wide Association Study of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the East Asian Populations. Autism Res 2015; 9:340-9. [PMID: 26314684 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic basis. To identify common genetic variations conferring the risk of ASD, we performed a two-stage genome-wide association study using ASD family and healthy control samples obtained from East Asian populations. A total of 166 ASD families (n = 500) and 642 healthy controls from the Japanese population were used as the discovery cohort. Approximately 900,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP array 6.0 chips. In the replication stage, 205 Japanese ASD cases and 184 healthy controls, as well as 418 Chinese Han trios (n = 1,254), were genotyped by TaqMan platform. Case-control analysis, family based association test, and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) were then conducted to test the association. In the discovery stage, significant associations were suggested for 14 loci, including 5 known ASD candidate genes: GPC6, JARID2, YTHDC2, CNTN4, and CSMD1. In addition, significant associations were identified for several novel genes with intriguing functions, such as JPH3, PTPRD, CUX1, and RIT2. After a meta-analysis combining the Japanese replication samples, the strongest signal was found at rs16976358 (P = 6.04 × 10(-7)), which is located near the RIT2 gene. In summary, our results provide independent support to known ASD candidate genes and highlight a number of novel genes warranted to be further investigated in a larger sample set in an effort to improve our understanding of the genetic basis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Liu
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takafumi Shimada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Otowa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yu-Yu Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yoshiya Kawamura
- Department of Psychiatry, Sakae Seijinkai Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mamoru Tochigi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Iwata
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Tadashi Umekage
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Toyota
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Motoko Maekawa
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Iwayama
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Katsuaki Suzuki
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Chihiro Kakiuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kano
- Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hisami Nishida
- Asunaro Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Tsu, Japan
| | - Toshiro Sugiyama
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Showa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chia-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Norio Mori
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Kazuo Yamada
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takeo Yoshikawa
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsushi Tokunaga
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Sasaki
- Department of Physical and Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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70
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Novel rare variations of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene in autism spectrum disorder individuals. Hum Genome Var 2015; 2:15024. [PMID: 27081536 PMCID: PMC4785550 DOI: 10.1038/hgv.2015.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene has been implicated as a risk gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—a neurodevelopmental disorder with essential features of impairments in social communication and reciprocal interaction. The genetic associations between common variations in OXTR and ASD have been reported in multiple ethnic populations. However, little is known about the distribution of rare variations within OXTR in ASD patients. In this study, we resequenced the full length of OXTR in 105 ASD individuals using an approach that combined the power of next-generation sequencing technology, long-range PCR and DNA pooling. We demonstrated that rare variants with minor allele frequency as low as 0.05% could be reliably detected by our method. We identified 28 novel variants including potential functional variants in the intron region and one rare missense variant (R150S). We subsequently performed Sanger sequencing and validated five novel variants located in previously suggested candidate regions in ASD individuals. Further sequencing of 312 healthy subjects showed that the burden of rare variants is significantly higher in ASDs compared with healthy individuals. Our results support that the rare variation in OXTR gene might be involved in ASD.
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71
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The oxytocin system promotes resilience to the effects of neonatal isolation on adult social attachment in female prairie voles. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5. [PMID: 26196439 PMCID: PMC5068726 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes and social experiences interact to create variation in social behavior and vulnerability to develop disorders of the social domain. Socially monogamous prairie voles display remarkable diversity in neuropeptide receptor systems and social behavior. Here, we examine the interaction of early-life adversity and brain oxytocin receptor (OTR) density on adult social attachment in female prairie voles. First, pups were isolated for 3 h per day, or unmanipulated, from postnatal day 1-14. Adult subjects were tested on the partner preference (PP) test to assess social attachment and OTR density in the brain was quantified. Neonatal social isolation impaired female PP formation, without affecting OTR density. Accumbal OTR density was, however, positively correlated with the percent of time spent huddling with the partner in neonatally isolated females. Females with high accumbal OTR binding were resilient to neonatal isolation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that parental nurturing shapes neural systems underlying social relationships by enhancing striatal OTR signaling. Thus, we next determined whether early touch, mimicking parental licking and grooming, stimulates hypothalamic OT neuron activity. Tactile stimulation induced immediate-early gene activity in OT neurons in neonates. Finally, we investigated whether pharmacologically potentiating OT release using a melanocortin 3/4 agonist, melanotan-II (10 mg kg(-1) subcutaneously), would mitigate the social isolation-induced impairments in attachment behavior. Neonatal melanotan-II administration buffered against the effects of early isolation on partner preference formation. Thus, variation in accumbal OTR density and early OT release induced by parental nurturing may moderate susceptibility to early adverse experiences, including neglect.
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72
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Schaschl H, Huber S, Schaefer K, Windhager S, Wallner B, Fieder M. Signatures of positive selection in the cis-regulatory sequences of the human oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (AVPR1A) genes. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:85. [PMID: 25968600 PMCID: PMC4429470 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0372-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evolutionary highly conserved neurohypophyseal hormones oxytocin and arginine vasopressin play key roles in regulating social cognition and behaviours. The effects of these two peptides are meditated by their specific receptors, which are encoded by the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and arginine vasopressin receptor 1a genes (AVPR1A), respectively. In several species, polymorphisms in these genes have been linked to various behavioural traits. Little, however, is known about whether positive selection acts on sequence variants in genes influencing variation in human behaviours. RESULTS We identified, in both neuroreceptor genes, signatures of balancing selection in the cis-regulative acting sequences such as transcription factor binding and enhancer sequences, as well as in a transcriptional repressor sequence motif. Additionally, in the intron 3 of the OXTR gene, the SNP rs59190448 appears to be under positive directional selection. For rs59190448, only one phenotypical association is known so far, but it is in high LD' (>0.8) with loci of known association; i.e., variants associated with key pro-social behaviours and mental disorders in humans. CONCLUSIONS Only for one SNP on the OXTR gene (rs59190448) was a sign of positive directional selection detected with all three methods of selection detection. For rs59190448, however, only one phenotypical association is known, but rs59190448 is in high LD' (>0.8), with variants associated with important pro-social behaviours and mental disorders in humans. We also detected various signatures of balancing selection on both neuroreceptor genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Schaschl
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Susanne Huber
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Katrin Schaefer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Sonja Windhager
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. .,Cognitive Science Platform at the University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. .,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martin Fieder
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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73
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Keebaugh AC, Barrett CE, Laprairie JL, Jenkins JJ, Young LJ. RNAi knockdown of oxytocin receptor in the nucleus accumbens inhibits social attachment and parental care in monogamous female prairie voles. Soc Neurosci 2015; 10:561-70. [PMID: 25874849 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2015.1040893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin modulates many aspects of social cognition and behaviors, including maternal nurturing, social recognition and bonding. Natural variation in oxytocin receptor (OXTR) density in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is associated with variation in alloparental behavior, and artificially enhancing OXTR expression in the NAcc enhances alloparental behavior and pair bonding in socially monogamous prairie voles. Furthermore, infusion of an OXTR antagonist into the NAcc inhibits alloparental behavior and partner preference formation. However, antagonists can promiscuously interact with other neuropeptide receptors. To directly examine the role of OXTR signaling in social bonding, we used RNA interference to selectively knockdown, but not eliminate, OXTR in the NAcc of female prairie voles and examined the impact on social behaviors. Using an adeno-associated viral vector expressing a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting Oxtr mRNA, we reduced accumbal OXTR density in female prairie voles from juvenile age through adulthood. Females receiving the shRNA vector displayed a significant reduction in alloparental behavior and disrupted partner preference formation. These are the first direct demonstrations that OXTR plays a critical role in alloparental behavior and adult social attachment, and suggest that natural variation in OXTR expression in this region alone can create variation in social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaine C Keebaugh
- a Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Catherine E Barrett
- a Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Jamie L Laprairie
- a Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Jasmine J Jenkins
- b Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Education Training (NET/work) Fellow, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience , Georgia State University, Spelman College , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Larry J Young
- a Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
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74
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The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is associated with autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:640-6. [PMID: 25092245 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been studied as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) owing to converging evidence from multiple levels of analysis that oxytocin (OXT) has an important role in the regulation of affiliative behavior and social bonding in both nonhuman mammals and humans. Inconsistency in the effect sizes of the OXTR variants included in association studies render it unclear whether OXTR is truly associated with ASD, and, if so, which OXTR single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated. Thus, a meta-analytic review of extant studies is needed to determine whether OXTR shows association with ASD, and to elucidate which specific SNPs have a significant effect on ASD. The current meta-analysis of 16 OXTR SNPs included 3941 individuals with ASD from 11 independent samples, although analyses of each individual SNP included a subset of this total. We found significant associations between ASD and the SNPs rs7632287, rs237887, rs2268491 and rs2254298. OXTR was also significantly associated with ASD in a gene-based test. The current meta-analysis is the largest and most comprehensive investigation of the association of OXTR with ASD and the findings suggest directions for future studies of the etiology of ASD.
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Saravani R, Esmaeeli E, Kordi Tamendani M, Nejad MN. Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphisms in Patients With Diabetes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.17795/gct-27904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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76
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Egawa J, Watanabe Y, Shibuya M, Endo T, Sugimoto A, Igeta H, Nunokawa A, Inoue E, Someya T. Resequencing and association analysis of OXTR with autism spectrum disorder in a Japanese population. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2015; 69:131-5. [PMID: 24836510 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Revised: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 05/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) is implicated in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A recent study found a rare non-synonymous OXTR gene variation, rs35062132 (R376G), associated with ASD in a Japanese population. In order to investigate the association between rare non-synonymous OXTR variations and ASD, we resequenced OXTR and performed association analysis with ASD in a Japanese population. METHODS We resequenced the OXTR coding region in 213 ASD patients. Rare non-synonymous OXTR variations detected by resequencing were genotyped in 213 patients and 667 controls. RESULTS We detected three rare non-synonymous variations: rs35062132 (R376G/C), rs151257822 (G334D), and g.8809426G>T (R150S). However, there was no significant association between these rare non-synonymous variations and ASD. CONCLUSIONS Our present study does not support the contribution of rare non-synonymous OXTR variations to ASD susceptibility in the Japanese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Egawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan; Department of Pediatric Psychiatry, Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Niigata, Japan
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77
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Hammock EAD. Developmental perspectives on oxytocin and vasopressin. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:24-42. [PMID: 24863032 PMCID: PMC4262889 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The related neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are involved in species-typical behavior, including social recognition behavior, maternal behavior, social bonding, communication, and aggression. A wealth of evidence from animal models demonstrates significant modulation of adult social behavior by both of these neuropeptides and their receptors. Over the last decade, there has been a flood of studies in humans also implicating a role for these neuropeptides in human social behavior. Despite popular assumptions that oxytocin is a molecule of social bonding in the infant brain, less mechanistic research emphasis has been placed on the potential role of these neuropeptides in the developmental emergence of the neural substrates of behavior. This review summarizes what is known and assumed about the developmental influence of these neuropeptides and outlines the important unanswered questions and testable hypotheses. There is tremendous translational need to understand the functions of these neuropeptides in mammalian experience-dependent development of the social brain. The activity of oxytocin and vasopressin during development should inform our understanding of individual, sex, and species differences in social behavior later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A D Hammock
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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78
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Myers AJ, Williams L, Gatt JM, McAuley-Clark EZ, Dobson-Stone C, Schofield PR, Nemeroff CB. Variation in the oxytocin receptor gene is associated with increased risk for anxiety, stress and depression in individuals with a history of exposure to early life stress. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 59:93-100. [PMID: 25262417 PMCID: PMC4252971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Revised: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that is involved in the regulation of mood, anxiety and social biology. Genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been implicated in anxiety, depression and related stress phenotypes. It is not yet known whether OXTR interacts with other risk factors such as early life trauma to heighten the severity of experienced anxiety and depression. METHODS In this study, we examined genotypes in 653 individuals and tested whether SNP variation in OXTR correlates with severity of features of self-reported experience on the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), and whether this correlation is enhanced when early life trauma is taken into account. We also assessed the effects of OXTR SNPs on RNA expression levels in two separate brain tissue cohorts totaling 365 samples. RESULTS A significant effect of OXTR genotype on DASS anxiety, stress and depression scores was found and ELS events, in combination with several different OXTR SNPs, were significantly associated with differences in DASS scores with one SNP (rs139832701) showing significant association or a trend towards association for all three measures. Several OXTR SNPs were correlated with alterations in OXTR RNA expression and rs3831817 replicated across both sets of tissues. CONCLUSIONS These results support the hypothesis that the oxytocin system plays a role in the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Myers
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Leanne Williams
- The Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, and Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Stanford University, CA, USA
| | - Justine M Gatt
- The Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, and Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW 2052, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
| | | | - Carol Dobson-Stone
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter R Schofield
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Miami, FL, USA
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79
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Davis MC, Horan WP, Nurmi EL, Rizzo S, Li W, Sugar CA, Green MF. Associations between oxytocin receptor genotypes and social cognitive performance in individuals with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 159:353-7. [PMID: 25244972 PMCID: PMC4254299 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia often show substantial deficits in social cognitive abilities, which are strongly associated with social functioning. To advance our understanding of the genetic variation that is associated with social cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, we genotyped 74 schizophrenia outpatients who completed social cognitive performance measures assessing mentalizing, social perception, and emotional intelligence, as well as clinical symptoms. We assessed seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) previously found to show replicable associations with socio-emotional processes. For one of the seven SNPs, rs2268493, the 'T' allele was significantly associated with poorer performance on a composite social cognition index, as well as specific tests of mentalizing and social perception. None of the SNPs were associated with clinical symptoms. Though the sample size is small, these findings provide initial support for the involvement of genetic variants of the OXTR in social cognitive impairments in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Davis
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA,VA Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - William P. Horan
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA,VA Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Erika L. Nurmi
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Shemra Rizzo
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Wendy Li
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Catherine A. Sugar
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA,Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Michael F. Green
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA,VA Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Los Angeles, CA
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80
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Quattrocki E, Friston K. Autism, oxytocin and interoception. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 47:410-30. [PMID: 25277283 PMCID: PMC4726659 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by profound social and verbal communication deficits, stereotypical motor behaviors, restricted interests, and cognitive abnormalities. Autism affects approximately 1% of children in developing countries. Given this prevalence, identifying risk factors and therapeutic interventions are pressing objectives—objectives that rest on neurobiologically grounded and psychologically informed theories about the underlying pathophysiology. In this article, we review the evidence that autism could result from a dysfunctional oxytocin system early in life. As a mediator of successful procreation, not only in the reproductive system, but also in the brain, oxytocin plays a crucial role in sculpting socio-sexual behavior. Formulated within a (Bayesian) predictive coding framework, we propose that oxytocin encodes the saliency or precision of interoceptive signals and enables the neuronal plasticity necessary for acquiring a generative model of the emotional and social 'self.' An aberrant oxytocin system in infancy could therefore help explain the marked deficits in language and social communication—as well as the sensory, autonomic, motor, behavioral, and cognitive abnormalities—seen in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Quattrocki
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Karl Friston
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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81
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Di Napoli A, Warrier V, Baron-Cohen S, Chakrabarti B. Genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene is associated with Asperger Syndrome. Mol Autism 2014; 5:48. [PMID: 25264479 PMCID: PMC4175274 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are a group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction, alongside unusually repetitive behaviors and narrow interests. ASC are highly heritable and have complex patterns of inheritance where multiple genes are involved, alongside environmental and epigenetic factors. Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a subgroup of these conditions, where there is no history of language or cognitive delay. Animal models suggest a role for oxytocin (OXT) and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genes in social-emotional behaviors, and several studies indicate that the oxytocin/oxytocin receptor system is altered in individuals with ASC. Previous studies have reported associations between genetic variations in the OXTR gene and ASC. METHODS The present study tested for an association between nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the OXTR gene and AS in 530 individuals of Caucasian origin, using SNP association test and haplotype analysis. RESULTS There was a significant association between rs2268493 in OXTR and AS. Multiple haplotypes that include this SNP (rs2268493-rs2254298, rs2268490-rs2268493-rs2254298, rs2268493-rs2254298-rs53576, rs237885-rs2268490-rs2268493-rs2254298, rs2268490-rs2268493-rs2254298-rs53576) were also associated with AS. rs2268493 has been previously associated with ASC and putatively alters several transcription factor-binding sites and regulates chromatin states, either directly or through other variants in linkage disequilibrium (LD). CONCLUSIONS This study reports a significant association of the sequence variant rs2268493 in the OXTR gene and associated haplotypes with AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Di Napoli
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK
| | - Varun Warrier
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK ; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, CLASS Clinic, Cambridge, Elizabeth House, Fulbourn Hospital, Cambridge, CB21 5EF UK
| | - Bhismadev Chakrabarti
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK ; Centre for Integrative Neurosciences and Neurodynamics, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL UK
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82
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Genomic and genetic aspects of autism spectrum disorder. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 452:244-53. [PMID: 25173933 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.08.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. The past decade has witnessed tremendous progress in the genetic studies of ASD. In this article, we review the accumulating literatures on the monogenic forms of ASD and chromosomal abnormalities associated with ASD, the genome-wide linkage and association studies, the copy number variation (CNV) and the next generation sequencing (NGS) studies. With more than hundreds of mutations being implicated, the convergent biological pathways are emerging and the genetic landscape of ASD becomes clearer. The genetic studies provide a solid basis for future translational study for better diagnoses, intervention and treatment of ASD.
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83
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Plasma oxytocin concentrations and OXTR polymorphisms predict social impairments in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:12258-63. [PMID: 25092315 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1402236111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) and its receptor (OXTR) regulate social functioning in animals and humans. Initial clinical research suggests that dysregulated plasma OXT concentrations and/or OXTR SNPs may be biomarkers of social impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We do not know, however, whether OXT dysregulation is unique to ASD or whether OXT biology influences social functioning more generally, thus contributing to, but not causing, ASD phenotypes. To distinguish between these possibilities, we tested in a child ASD cohort, which included unaffected siblings and unrelated neurotypical controls (ages 3-12 y; n = 193), whether plasma OXT concentrations and OXTR SNPs (i) interact to produce ASD phenotypes, (ii) exert differential phenotypic effects in ASD vs. non-ASD children, or (iii) have similar phenotypic effects independent of disease status. In the largest cohort tested to date, we found no evidence to support the OXT deficit hypothesis of ASD. Rather, OXT concentrations strongly and positively predicted theory of mind and social communication performance in all groups. Furthermore, OXT concentrations showed significant heritability between ASD-discordant siblings (h(2) = 85.5%); a heritability estimate on par with that of height in humans. Finally, carriers of the "G" allele of rs53576 showed impaired affect recognition performance and carriers of the "A" allele of rs2254298 exhibited greater global social impairments in all groups. These findings indicate that OXT biology is not uniquely associated with ASD, but instead exerts independent, additive, and highly heritable influences on individual differences in human social functioning, including the severe social impairments which characterize ASD.
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84
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Wade M, Hoffmann TJ, Wigg K, Jenkins JM. Association between the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and children's social cognition at 18 months. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2014; 13:603-10. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2014] [Revised: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development; University of Toronto; Toronto ON Canada
| | - T. J. Hoffmann
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Institute for Human Genetics; University of California at San Francisco; San Francisco CA USA
| | - K. Wigg
- Genetics and Development Division; Toronto Western Research Institute; Toronto ON Canada
| | - J. M. Jenkins
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development; University of Toronto; Toronto ON Canada
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85
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The association between an oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism and cultural orientations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s40167-014-0017-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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86
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Slane MM, Lusk LG, Boomer KB, Hare AE, King MK, Evans DW. Social cognition, face processing, and oxytocin receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms in typically developing children. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2014; 9:160-71. [PMID: 24814480 PMCID: PMC6989749 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2013] [Revised: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research has provided evidence of a link between behavioral measures of social cognition (SC) and neural and genetic correlates. Differences in face processing and variations in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene have been associated with SC deficits and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits. Much work has examined the qualitative differences between those with ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals, but very little has been done to quantify the natural variation in ASD-like traits in the typical population. The present study examines this variation in TD children using a multidimensional perspective involving behavior assessment, neural electroencephalogram (EEG) testing, and OXTR genotyping. Children completed a series of neurocognitive assessments, provided saliva samples for sequencing, and completed a face processing task while connected to an EEG. No clear pattern emerged for EEG covariates or genotypes for individual OXTR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, SNPs rs2254298 and rs53576 consistently interacted such that the AG/GG allele combination of these SNPs was associated with poorer performance on neurocognitive measures. These results suggest that neither SNP in isolation is risk-conferring, but rather that the combination of rs2254298(A/G) and rs53576(G/G) confers a deleterious effect on SC across several neurocognitive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylissa M Slane
- Bucknell University, Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, 701 Moore Avenue, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Laina G Lusk
- Bucknell University, Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, 701 Moore Avenue, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - K B Boomer
- Bucknell University, Department of Mathematics, 701 Moore Avenue, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Abby E Hare
- Geisinger-Bucknell Autism and Developmental Medicine Center, 120 Hamm Drive, Suite 2, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Margaret K King
- Geisinger-Bucknell Autism and Developmental Medicine Center, 120 Hamm Drive, Suite 2, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - David W Evans
- Bucknell University, Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, 701 Moore Avenue, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
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87
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Ceroni F, Sagar A, Simpson NH, Gawthrope AJT, Newbury DF, Pinto D, Francis SM, Tessman DC, Cook EH, Monaco AP, Maestrini E, Pagnamenta AT, Jacob S. A deletion involving CD38 and BST1 results in a fusion transcript in a patient with autism and asthma. Autism Res 2014; 7:254-63. [PMID: 24634087 PMCID: PMC4309371 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 01/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
CD38 encodes a ligand in the oxytocin signaling pathway. Some single nucleotide polymorphisms in this gene have been associated with low serum oxytocin levels in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients. Oxytocin disruption has been hypothesized to account for features of ASD, including impaired communication and social behavior, based on animal studies. Recent human studies have shown administration of oxytocin improving emotion recognition, promoting social behavior, and improving auditory processing of social stimuli in ASD patients. In addition to its role in oxytocin signaling, CD38 is involved in the regulation of calcium concentration in airway smooth muscle with impairment of CD38 being implicated in airway diseases like asthma. While a number of studies have implicated rare chromosomal deletions and duplications in helping determine genetic risk for autism, there are to our knowledge no reports describing rearrangements involving CD38 or deletions in patients with ASD. Here, we present two sisters diagnosed with autism and with features of regression-previously acquired speech lost in the second year of life. The younger sister, who also had asthma, inherited a maternal deletion of 4p15.32 that results in a BST1-CD38 fusion transcript. Their mother's deletion was mosaic and she was not affected. Although further work is required to assess functional consequences of the fusion transcript, we hypothesize that the proband's deletion may have served as a risk factor for autism that, when combined with other susceptibility variants, resulted in a more severe presentation than her sister.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Ceroni
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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88
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Preti A, Melis M, Siddi S, Vellante M, Doneddu G, Fadda R. Oxytocin and autism: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2014; 24:54-68. [PMID: 24679173 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2013.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Little is known about the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is a systematic review of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of oxytocin interventions in autism, made from January 1990 to September 2013. METHOD A search of computerized databases was supplemented by manual search in the bibliographies of key publications. The methodological quality of the studies included in the review was evaluated independently by two researchers, according to a set of formal criteria. Discrepancies in scoring were resolved through discussion. RESULTS The review yielded seven RCTs, including 101 subjects with ASD (males=95) and 8 males with Fragile X syndrome. The main categories of target symptoms tested in the studies were repetitive behaviors, eye gaze, and emotion recognition. The studies had a medium to high risk of bias. Most studies had small samples (median=15). All the studies but one reported statistically significant between-group differences on at least one outcome variable. Most findings were characterized by medium effect size. Only one study had evidence that the improvement in emotion recognition was maintained after 6 weeks of treatment with intranasal oxytocin. Overall, oxytocin was well tolerated and side effects, when present, were generally rated as mild; however, restlessness, increased irritability, and increased energy occurred more often under oxytocin. CONCLUSIONS RCTs of oxytocin interventions in autism yielded potentially promising findings in measures of emotion recognition and eye gaze, which are impaired early in the course of the ASD condition and might disrupt social skills learning in developing children. There is a need for larger, more methodologically rigorous RCTs in this area. Future studies should be better powered to estimate outcomes with medium to low effect size, and should try to enroll female participants, who were rarely considered in previous studies. Risk of bias should be minimized. Human long-term administration studies are necessary before clinical recommendations can be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Preti
- 1 Dipartimento di Pedagogia, Psicologia, Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
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Vorstman JAS, Spooren W, Persico AM, Collier DA, Aigner S, Jagasia R, Glennon JC, Buitelaar JK. Using genetic findings in autism for the development of new pharmaceutical compounds. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1063-78. [PMID: 24292384 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3334-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 10/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The main reason for the current lack of effective treatments for the core symptoms of autism is our limited understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying this heterogeneous group of disorders. A primary value of genetic research is enhancing our insight into the biology of autism through the study of identified autism risk genes. OBJECTIVES In the current review we discuss (1) the genes and loci that are associated with autism, (2) how these provide us with essential cues as to what neurobiological mechanisms may be involved, and (3) how these mechanisms may be used as targets for novel treatments. Next, we provide an overview of currently ongoing clinical trials registered at clinicaltrials.gov with a variety of compounds. Finally, we review current approaches used to translate knowledge derived from gene discovery into novel pharmaceutical compounds and discuss their pitfalls and problems. CONCLUSIONS An increasing number of genetic variants associated with autism have been identified. This will generate new ideas about the biological mechanisms involved in autism, which in turn may provide new leads for the development of novel pharmaceutical compounds. To optimize this pipeline of drug discovery, large-scale international collaborations are needed for gene discovery, functional validation of risk genes, and improvement of clinical outcome measures and clinical trial methodology in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A S Vorstman
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, A001.468, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3485 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands,
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90
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Lin IF, Kashino M, Ohta H, Yamada T, Tani M, Watanabe H, Kanai C, Ohno T, Takayama Y, Iwanami A, Kato N. The effect of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo treatment on the autonomic responses to human sounds in autism: a single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design study. Mol Autism 2014; 5:20. [PMID: 24576333 PMCID: PMC4015306 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulty with verbal communication, which might be due to a lack of spontaneous orientation toward social auditory stimuli. Previous studies have shown that a single dose of oxytocin improves speech comprehension in autism. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether the orientation behaviors toward human sounds are different for neurotypical (NT) adults and adults with ASD and whether oxytocin has an effect on their orientation behaviors toward human sounds. METHODS This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, within-subject, crossover design study of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo in 13 NT adults and 16 adults with ASD. Subjects were randomized to 24 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo on different days, and they were blind to the treatment. The participants then listened passively to human and non-human affective sounds while their skin conductance responses (SCRs) and the changes in peripheral blood vessel constriction were monitored as an indicator of spontaneous orientation. The monitored data were analyzed by a mixed-design ANOVA. RESULTS Oxytocin enhanced the difference between the SCRs to human and non-human sounds in both the NT and ASD groups (F(1,56) = 6.046, p = 0.017). Further correlation coefficient analysis showed significant correlations between this SCR difference and the scores in the autism spectrum quotient 'attention to detail' and 'social skill' subscales and interpersonal reactivity index and social functioning scale in the ASD group. Oxytocin was well tolerated, and no serious adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS The difference in SCRs implies that oxytocin nasal spray may enhance orientation behaviors toward human sounds in the presence of other environmental sounds in both ASD and NT adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial, Unique trial number: UMIN000005809.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Fan Lin
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-1, Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan.
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91
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Anagnostou E, Soorya L, Brian J, Dupuis A, Mankad D, Smile S, Jacob S. Intranasal oxytocin in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders: a review of literature and early safety and efficacy data in youth. Brain Res 2014; 1580:188-98. [PMID: 24508578 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2013] [Revised: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a paucity of treatments targeting core symptom domains in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Several animal models and research in typically developing volunteers suggests that manipulation of the oxytocin system may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of social deficits. We review the literature for oxytocin and ASD and report on early dosing, safety and efficacy data of multi-dose oxytocin on aspects of social cognition/function, as well as repetitive behaviors and co-occurring anxiety within ASD. METHODS Fifteen children and adolescents with verbal IQs≥70 were diagnosed with ASD using the ADOS and the ADI-R. They participated in a modified maximum tolerated dose study of intranasal oxytocin (Syntocinon). Data were modeled using repeated measures regression analysis controlling for week, dose, age, and sex. RESULTS Among 4 doses tested, the highest dose evaluated, 0.4 IU/kg/dose, was found to be well tolerated. No serious or severe adverse events were reported and adverse events reported/observed were mild to moderate. Over 12 weeks of treatment, several measures of social cognition/function, repetitive behaviors and anxiety showed sensitivity to change with some measures suggesting maintenance of effect 3 months past discontinuation of intranasal oxytocin. CONCLUSIONS This pilot study suggests that daily administration of intranasal oxytocin at 0.4 IU/kg/dose in children and adolescents with ASD is safe and has therapeutic potential. Larger studies are warranted. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin and Social Behav.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evdokia Anagnostou
- Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M4G 1R8.
| | - Latha Soorya
- Rush University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, 2150 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 606103, USA
| | - Jessica Brian
- Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M4G 1R8
| | - Annie Dupuis
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Canada M5G 1X8
| | - Deepali Mankad
- Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M4G 1R8
| | - Sharon Smile
- Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M4G 1R8
| | - Suma Jacob
- University of Minnesota, Department of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, 2101 6th Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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92
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Pedersen CA. Schizophrenia and alcohol dependence: diverse clinical effects of oxytocin and their evolutionary origins. Brain Res 2014; 1580:102-23. [PMID: 24508579 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Beginning in 1979 with the first report that central administration of oxytocin stimulates maternal behavior in virgin rats, decades of animal research and more recent human studies have demonstrated that oxytocin has many pro-social effects. These many findings suggest that oxytocin may be an effective treatment for social deficits that are hallmark features of disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Effects in preclinical animal models also imply that oxytocin may be an efficacious pharmacotherapy in a wide range of psychiatric disorders including psychoses and addictions. To date, 3 small clinical trials found that daily intranasal oxytocin treatment for 2-8 weeks significantly reduced psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. Two of these trials also found improvement in social cognition or neurocognition, areas in which patients have significant deficiencies that do not respond to conventional antipsychotic treatment and contribute to disability. In another small trial, intranasal oxytocin potently blocked alcohol withdrawal. After reviewing the rationale for these trials, they are described in more detail. Questions are then asked followed by discussions of the large gaps in our knowledge about brain oxytocin systems in humans. The hope is to highlight important directions for future investigations of the role of oxytocin in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders and addictions and to extend clinical research in these areas. Heretofore unrecognized roles for which oxytocin may have been selected during the evolution of placental mammalian maternal-infant and other social attachments are considered as possible origins of oxytocin antipsychotic and antiaddiction effects.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin and Social Behav.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cort A Pedersen
- Department of Psychiatry, CB# 7160, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, USA.
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93
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Oxytocin promotes facial emotion recognition and amygdala reactivity in adults with asperger syndrome. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:698-706. [PMID: 24067301 PMCID: PMC3895247 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Revised: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin has recently been shown to enhance eye gaze and emotion recognition in healthy men. Here, we report a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the neural and behavioral effects of a single dose of intranasal oxytocin on emotion recognition in individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS), a clinical condition characterized by impaired eye gaze and facial emotion recognition. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined whether oxytocin would enhance emotion recognition from facial sections of the eye vs the mouth region and modulate regional activity in brain areas associated with face perception in both adults with AS, and a neurotypical control group. Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin improved performance in a facial emotion recognition task in individuals with AS. This was linked to increased left amygdala reactivity in response to facial stimuli and increased activity in the neural network involved in social cognition. Our data suggest that the amygdala, together with functionally associated cortical areas mediate the positive effect of oxytocin on social cognitive functioning in AS.
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94
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Damiano CR, Aloi J, Dunlap K, Burrus CJ, Mosner MG, Kozink RV, McLaurin RE, Mullette-Gillman OA, Carter RM, Huettel SA, McClernon FJ, Ashley-Koch A, Dichter GS. Association between the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and mesolimbic responses to rewards. Mol Autism 2014; 5:7. [PMID: 24485285 PMCID: PMC3922109 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been significant progress in identifying genes that confer risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the heterogeneity of symptom presentation in ASDs impedes the detection of ASD risk genes. One approach to understanding genetic influences on ASD symptom expression is to evaluate relations between variants of ASD candidate genes and neural endophenotypes in unaffected samples. Allelic variations in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene confer small but significant risk for ASDs for which the underlying mechanisms may involve associations between variability in oxytocin signaling pathways and neural response to rewards. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the influence of allelic variability in the OXTR gene on neural responses to monetary rewards in healthy adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). METHODS The moderating effects of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1042778, rs2268493 and rs237887) of the OXTR gene on mesolimbic responses to rewards were evaluated using a monetary incentive delay fMRI task. RESULTS T homozygotes of the rs2268493 SNP demonstrated relatively decreased activation in mesolimbic reward circuitry (including the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, insula, thalamus and prefrontal cortical regions) during the anticipation of rewards but not during the outcome phase of the task. Allelic variation of the rs1042778 and rs237887 SNPs did not moderate mesolimbic activation during either reward anticipation or outcomes. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study suggests that the OXTR SNP rs2268493, which has been previously identified as an ASD risk gene, moderates mesolimbic responses during reward anticipation. Given previous findings of decreased mesolimbic activation during reward anticipation in ASD, the present results suggest that OXTR may confer ASD risk via influences on the neural systems that support reward anticipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara R Damiano
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, CB#3270, Davie Hall, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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95
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Nyffeler J, Walitza S, Bobrowski E, Gundelfinger R, Grünblatt E. Association study in siblings and case-controls of serotonin- and oxytocin-related genes with high functioning autism. J Mol Psychiatry 2014; 2:1. [PMID: 25408912 PMCID: PMC4223888 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-2-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is heritable and neurodevelopmental with unknown causes. The serotonergic and oxytocinergic systems are of interest in autism for several reasons: (i) Both systems are implicated in social behavior, and abnormal levels of serotonin and oxytocin have been found in people with ASD; (ii) treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and oxytocin can yield improvements; and (iii) previous association studies have linked the serotonin transporter (SERT; SLC6A4), serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A), and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genes with ASD. We examined their association with high functioning autism (HFA) including siblings and their interaction. Methods In this association study with HFA children (IQ > 80), siblings, and controls, participants were genotyped for four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in OXTR (rs2301261, rs53576, rs2254298, rs2268494) and one in HTR2A (rs6311) as well as the triallelic HTTLPR (SERT polymorphism). Results We identified a nominal significant association with HFA for the HTTLPR s allele (consisting of S and LG alleles) (p = .040; odds ratio (OR) = 1.697, 95% CI 1.191–2.204)). Four polymorphisms (HTTLPR, HTR2A rs6311, OXTR rs2254298 and rs53576) in combination conferred nominal significant risk for HFA with a genetic score of ≥4 (OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.05–4.18, p = .037). The resulting area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.595 (p = .033). Conclusions Our findings, combined with those of previous reports, indicate that ASD, in particular HFA, is polygenetic rather than monogenetic and involves the serotonergic and oxytocin pathways, probably in combination with other factors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2049-9256-2-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Nyffeler
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Walitza
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elise Bobrowski
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ronnie Gundelfinger
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Edna Grünblatt
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Common polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is associated with human social recognition skills. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 111:1987-92. [PMID: 24367110 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1302985111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are evolutionarily conserved regulators of social perception and behavior. Evidence is building that they are critically involved in the development of social recognition skills within rodent species, primates, and humans. We investigated whether common polymorphisms in the genes encoding the oxytocin and vasopressin 1a receptors influence social memory for faces. Our sample comprised 198 families, from the United Kingdom and Finland, in whom a single child had been diagnosed with high-functioning autism. Previous research has shown that impaired social perception, characteristic of autism, extends to the first-degree relatives of autistic individuals, implying heritable risk. Assessments of face recognition memory, discrimination of facial emotions, and direction of gaze detection were standardized for age (7-60 y) and sex. A common SNP in the oxytocin receptor (rs237887) was strongly associated with recognition memory in combined probands, parents, and siblings after correction for multiple comparisons. Homozygotes for the ancestral A allele had impairments in the range -0.6 to -1.15 SD scores, irrespective of their diagnostic status. Our findings imply that a critical role for the oxytocin system in social recognition has been conserved across perceptual boundaries through evolution, from olfaction in rodents to visual memory in humans.
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Wang J, Qin W, Liu B, Wang D, Zhang Y, Jiang T, Yu C. Variant in OXTR gene and functional connectivity of the hypothalamus in normal subjects. Neuroimage 2013; 81:199-204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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Polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene are associated with the development of psychopathy. Dev Psychopathol 2013; 26:21-31. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579413000485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe co-occurrence of child conduct problems (CPs) and callous–unemotional (CU) traits confers risk for psychopathy. The oxytocin (OXT) system is a likely candidate for involvement in the development of psychopathy. We tested variations in the OXT receptor gene (OXTR) in CP children and adolescents with varying levels of CU traits. Two samples of Caucasian children, aged 4–16 years, who met DSM criteria for disruptive behavior problems and had no features of autism spectrum disorder, were stratified into low versus high CU traits. Measures were the frequencies of nine candidate OXTR polymorphisms (single nucleotide polymorphisms). In Sample 1, high CU traits were associated with single nucleotide polymorphism rs1042778 in the 3′ untranslated region of OXTR and the CGCT haplotype of rs2268490, rs2254298, rs237889, and rs13316193. The association of rs1042778 was replicated in the second rural sample and held across gender and child versus adolescent age groups. We conclude that polymorphic variation of the OXTR characterizes children with high levels of CU traits and CPs. The results are consistent with a hypothesized role of OXT in the developmental antecedents of psychopathy, particularly the differential amygdala activation model of psychopathic traits, and add genetic evidence that high CU traits specify a distinct subgroup within CP children.
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Epigenetics and autism. AUTISM RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2013; 2013:826156. [PMID: 24151554 PMCID: PMC3787640 DOI: 10.1155/2013/826156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Revised: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 08/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This review identifies mechanisms for altering DNA-histone interactions of cell chromatin to upregulate or downregulate gene expression that could serve as epigenetic targets for therapeutic interventions in autism. DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) can phosphorylate histone H3 at T6. Aided by protein kinase C β 1, the DNMT lysine-specific demethylase-1 prevents demethylation of H3 at K4. During androgen-receptor-(AR-) dependent gene activation, this sequence may produce AR-dependent gene overactivation which may partly explain the male predominance of autism. AR-dependent gene overactivation in conjunction with a DNMT mechanism for methylating oxytocin receptors could produce high arousal inputs to the amygdala resulting in aberrant socialization, a prime characteristic of autism. Dysregulation of histone methyltransferases and histone deacetylases (HDACs) associated with low activity of methyl CpG binding protein-2 at cytosine-guanine sites in genes may reduce the capacity for condensing chromatin and silencing genes in frontal cortex, a site characterized by decreased cortical interconnectivity in autistic subjects. HDAC1 inhibition can overactivate mRNA transcription, a putative mechanism for the increased number of cerebral cortical columns and local frontal cortex hyperactivity in autistic individuals. These epigenetic mechanisms underlying male predominance, aberrant social interaction, and low functioning frontal cortex may be novel targets for autism prevention and treatment strategies.
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Cochran D, Fallon D, Hill M, Frazier JA. The role of oxytocin in psychiatric disorders: a review of biological and therapeutic research findings. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2013; 21:219-47. [PMID: 24651556 PMCID: PMC4120070 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0b013e3182a75b7d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
LEARNING OBJECTIVES After participating in this educational activity, the physician should be better able to 1. Identify the biological role of oxytocin in forming attachments. 2. Evaluate the relationship between various neuropsychiatric disorders and oxytocin. 3. Identify clinical implications of using oxytocin to treat various neuropsychiatric disorders. Oxytocin is a peptide hormone integral in parturition, milk letdown, and maternal behaviors that has been demonstrated in animal studies to be important in the formation of pair bonds and in social behaviors. This hormone is increasingly recognized as an important regulator of human social behaviors, including social decision making, evaluating and responding to social stimuli, mediating social interactions, and forming social memories. In addition, oxytocin is intricately involved in a broad array of neuropsychiatric functions and may be a common factor important in multiple psychiatric disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and mood and anxiety disorders. This review article examines the extant literature on the evidence for oxytocin dysfunction in a variety of psychiatric disorders and highlights the need for further research to understand the complex role of the oxytocin system in psychiatric disease and thus pave the way for developing new therapeutic modalities. Articles were selected that involved human participants with various psychiatric disorders and that either compared oxytocin biology to healthy controls or examined the effects of exogenous oxytocin administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cochran
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School
| | - Daniel Fallon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida
| | - Michael Hill
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School
| | - Jean A. Frazier
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School
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