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Wood EK, Baron Z, Kruger R, Halter C, Gabrielle N, Neville L, Smith E, Marett L, Johnson M, Del Rosso L, Capitanio JP, Higley JD. Variation in the serotonin transporter genotype is associated with maternal restraint and rejection of infants: A nonhuman primate (Macaca mulatta) model. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281935. [PMID: 37093803 PMCID: PMC10124887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies show that maternal behaviors are mediated by the bivariate serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotype, although the findings are mixed, with some studies showing that mothers with the s allele exhibit increased maternal sensitivity, while other studies show that mothers with the s allele show decreased maternal sensitivity. Nonhuman primate studies offer increased control over extraneous variables and may contribute to a better understanding of the effects of the 5-HTT genotype on maternal sensitivity. This study assesses the influence of 5-HTT genotype variation on maternal sensitivity in parenting in 125 rhesus macaque mothers (Macaca mulatta) during the first three-months of their infants' lives, an age well before typical infants undergo weaning. Mothers were genotyped for the 5-HTT genotype and maternal behaviors were collected, including neglectfulness, sensitivity, and premature rejections during undisturbed social interactions. Results showed that mothers homozygous for the s allele rejected their infants the most and restrained their infants the least, an indication that mothers with the s allele are more likely to neglect their infants' psychological and physical needs. These findings suggest that, at an age when an infant's needs are based on warmth, security, and protection, mothers with an s allele exhibit less sensitive maternal behaviors. High rates of rejections and low rates of restraints are behaviors that typically characterize premature weaning and are inappropriate for their infant's young age. This study is an important step in understanding the etiology of variability in maternal warmth and care, and further suggests that maternal 5-HTT genotype should be examined in studies assessing genetic influences on variation in maternal sensitivity, and ultimately, mother-infant attachment quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Wood
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Zachary Baron
- Department of Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Ryno Kruger
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Colt Halter
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Natalia Gabrielle
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Leslie Neville
- Department of Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Ellie Smith
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Leah Marett
- Department of Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Miranda Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Laura Del Rosso
- California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC), Davis, California, United States of America
| | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC), Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - J Dee Higley
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
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Landoni M, Dalla Muta A, Di Tella S, Ciuffo G, Di Blasio P, Ionio C. Parenting and the Serotonin Transporter Gene (5HTTLPR), Is There an Association? A Systematic Review of the Literature. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19074052. [PMID: 35409736 PMCID: PMC8997909 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19074052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The current systematic review examines whether there is an association between the genetic 5-HTTPLR polymorphism and parenting, and the mechanisms by which this association operates. The literature was searched in various databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. In line with our inclusion criteria, nine articles were eligible out of 22. Most of the studies analysed in this review found an association between 5HTTLPR and parenting. Four studies found a direct association between 5-HTTLPR and parenting with conflicting findings: two studies found that mothers carrying the short variant were more sensitive to their infants, while two studies found that parents carrying the S allele were less sensitive. In addition, several studies found strong interaction between genetic and environmental factors, such as childhood stress and disruptive child behaviour, quality of early care experiences, poor parenting environment, and quality of the environment. Only one study found an association between children's 5HTTLPR and parenting. Parenting can be described as a highly complex construct influenced by multiple factors, including the environment, as well as parent and child characteristics. According to the studies, maternal 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is most likely to be associated with sensitive parenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Landoni
- CRIdee, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (P.D.B.); (C.I.)
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.D.M.); (S.D.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Alice Dalla Muta
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.D.M.); (S.D.T.)
| | - Sonia Di Tella
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.D.M.); (S.D.T.)
| | - Giulia Ciuffo
- CRIdee, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (P.D.B.); (C.I.)
| | - Paola Di Blasio
- CRIdee, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (P.D.B.); (C.I.)
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.D.M.); (S.D.T.)
| | - Chiara Ionio
- CRIdee, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (P.D.B.); (C.I.)
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.D.M.); (S.D.T.)
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Esposito G, Setoh P, Shinohara K, Bornstein MH. The development of attachment: Integrating genes, brain, behavior, and environment. Behav Brain Res 2017; 325:87-89. [PMID: 28322913 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In humans, as in other animal species, early caregiver-infant interactions influence physiological and psychological processes by modulating brain sensitivity. Furthermore, early social interaction between caregiver and infant influences infants' cognitive and socioemotional development, and subsequently the development of social, familial, and romantic relationships later in life. Here, we have collected longitudinal and cross-sectional empirical studies as well as review and perspective articles that focus on human or non-human mammals with the aim to investigate how genetic, hormonal, behavioural, and environmental factors, as well as cultural contexts, regulate early interactional experiences, and how these experiences translate into social and non-social competences later in life (see Graphical Abstract).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Esposito
- Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
| | - Peipei Setoh
- Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kazuyuki Shinohara
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Japan
| | - Marc H Bornstein
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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