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Dys SP, Burrows CA, Usher LV, Almas AN, Degnan KA, Fox NA, Henderson HA. Encouraging a Peer in Need: The Impacts of Social Anxiety and Peer Familiarity. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2023; 32:618-632. [PMID: 37234510 PMCID: PMC10208239 DOI: 10.1111/sode.12648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Extant research has produced conflicting findings regarding the link between social fearfulness and prosocial behavior, with some studies reporting negative relations and others reporting null effects. Furthermore, these studies have focused predominantly on toddlerhood, and few have examined prosociality between peers. The present study investigated whether the link between social anxiety and a prosocial behavior (i.e., providing encouragement) varied depending on interpersonal and situational factors (i.e., one's familiarity with a peer, the level of support sought by a peer, respectively). We tested this question using a multimethod approach, which included an ecologically valid stress inducing task and dyadic design with a sample of 9- to 10-year-olds (N = 447). Results revealed that social anxiety was related negatively to providing encouragement among familiar and unfamiliar dyads. In familiar dyads, however, this main effect was qualified by an interaction with the level of support sought by one's peer. Compared to those low in social anxiety, children high in social anxiety provided relatively less encouragement in response to higher levels of support seeking from their peers. The findings are considered in relation to theorizing regarding the effect of overarousal on children's prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alisa N. Almas
- University of British Columbia, Human Early Learning
Partnership
| | | | - Nathan A. Fox
- University of Maryland, Department of Human Development
and Quantitative Methodology
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2
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The Interaction between Serotonin Transporter Allelic Variation and Maternal Care Modulates Instagram Sociability in a Sample of Singaporean Users. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095348. [PMID: 35564743 PMCID: PMC9105050 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Human social interactions ensure recognition and approval from others, both in offline and online environments. This study applies a model from behavioral genetics on Instagram sociability to explore the impact of individual development on behavior on social networks. We hypothesize that sociable attitudes on Instagram resulted from an interaction between serotonin transporter gene alleles and the individual’s social relationship with caregivers. We assess the environmental and genetic components of 57 Instagram users. The self-report questionnaire Parental Bonding Instrument is adopted to determine the quality of parental bonding. The number of posts, followed users (“followings”), and followers are collected from Instagram as measures of online social activity. Additionally, the ratio between the number of followers and followings (“Social Desirability Index”) was calculated to estimate the asymmetry of each user’s social network. Finally, buccal mucosa cell samples were acquired, and the polymorphism rs25531 (T/T homozygotes vs. C-carriers) within the serotonin transporter gene was examined. In the preliminary analysis, we identified a gender effect on the number of followings. In addition, we specifically found a gene–environment interaction on the standardized Instagram “Social Desirability Index” in line with our predictions. Users with the genotype more sensitive to environmental influences (T/T homozygotes) showed a higher Instagram “Social Desirability Index” than nonsensitive ones (C-carriers) when they experienced positive maternal care. This result may contribute to understanding online social behavior from a gene*environment perspective.
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3
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Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common psychiatric disorder, often associated with avoidant temperament. Research studies have implicated a strong genetic architecture of SAD. We have conducted a systematic review on the genetics of SAD and yielded 66 articles. In general, prior research studies have focused on the serotonin transporter, oxytocin receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and catechol-O-methyltransferase genes. Mixed and inconsistent results have been reported. Additional approaches and phenotypes have also been investigated, including pharmacogenetics of treatment response, imaging genetics and gene-environment interactions. Future directions warrant further international collaborative efforts, deep-phenotyping of clinical characteristics including consistent and reliable measurement-based symptom severity, and larger sample sizes to ensure sufficient power for stratification due to the heterogeneity of this chronic and often debilitating condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Baba
- Neurogenetics Section, Molecular Brain Science Department, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre
| | - Stefan Kloiber
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gwyneth Zai
- Neurogenetics Section, Molecular Brain Science Department, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Cosmoiu A, Nedelcea C. Factors impacting the experience of empathic distress in social anxiety: a path analysis approach. The Journal of Social Psychology 2021; 162:57-70. [PMID: 34913406 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2021.2003284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Personal distress is a manifestation of empathy characterized by a tendency to respond to others' difficulties by increasing one's distress. Previous work on socially anxious individuals has shown mixed results, consistent with a model of social anxiety symptomatology characterized by increased personal distress in empathy eliciting situations, which is driven by emotional dysregulation. The current study aimed to test a serial mediation model to uncover the role of emotional dysregulation in the relationship between social anxiety and empathic distress. 330 young adults were included in the sample. Social anxiety symptomatology, difficulty identifying one's feelings, expressive suppression, and empathic distress were analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling. Measurement and structural models were supported by data, with social anxiety exhibiting direct and indirect effects on empathic distress. Results also suggest that expressive suppression exhibits a negative effect on the distress exhibited in empathy eliciting situations, which brings forth relevant theoretical and clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cosmoiu
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cătălin Nedelcea
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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5
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Tomei A, Studer J, Gmel G. Prosocialness in young males with substance and behavioral addictions. J Behav Addict 2021; 10:327-337. [PMID: 34191744 PMCID: PMC8996797 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2021.00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Social determinants are closely related to addiction, both as a cause and a consequence of substance use and other addictive behaviors. The present paper examines prosocialness (i.e. the tendency to help, empathize, and care for others) among a population of young males. We compared prosocialness across different types of addiction and examined whether prosocialness varied according to the presence of multiple addictions. METHODS A sample of 5,675 young males, aged 19-29 years old (Mean = 21.4; Median = 21), completed a questionnaire that included screening tools to identify addictive behaviors with regards to alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, gambling, and gaming. The questionnaire also included a scale to measure prosocialness. RESULTS Compared to a no-addiction control group, the subgroups of young men suffering from behavioral addictions (i.e., gambling and gaming) reported the lowest levels of prosocialness. Respondents with an alcohol addiction also showed lower prosocialness compared to no-addiction controls. By contrast, no significant differences in prosocialness were found between respondents with nicotine disorder or cannabis disorder and the no-addiction controls. Furthermore, the number of addictions had no clear, observable effects on prosocialness. Significant differences were found between the no-addiction control group and the groups reporting one or more addictions, but not between the separate groups reporting one, two, and three or more addictions. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS A better understanding of the social dimension affecting young males with addiction, particularly gambling and gaming addictions, may be useful for their prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Tomei
- Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 23, CH – 1011Lausanne, Switzerland,Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Joseph Studer
- Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 23, CH – 1011Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Gmel
- Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 23, CH – 1011Lausanne, Switzerland,Research Department, Addiction Switzerland, Lausanne, Switzerland,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
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6
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Huetter FK, Moehlendick B, Knop D, Siffert W. Lack of association of common polymorphisms linked to empathic behavior with self-reported trait empathy in healthy volunteers. Horm Behav 2020; 126:104841. [PMID: 32828797 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a previously specified sample of 421 healthy subjects, we found associations of a common oxytocin receptor (OXTR) polymorphism with self-reported trait empathy. In this study, we used this sample to explore polymorphisms in other genes which have been frequently linked to empathic behavior for associations with self-reported trait empathy: CD38 (CD38), involved in oxytocin secretion, the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) and the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1). METHODS We genotyped our sample for the following common polymorphisms: rs3796863 in the CD38 gene, 5-HTTLPR in the SLC6A4 gene, rs4680 in the COMT gene and rs242924 in the CRHR1 gene. Dispositional empathy was tested using Davis' Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). We used a Bonferroni corrected alpha level of p = 0.002 to adjust for multiple comparisons. RESULTS None of the genotypes were associated with any of the IRI scales for the complete sample (n = 421) or for the sub-groups of male (n = 213) and female (n = 190) participants. Our sample of 421 participants achieved 95% power to detect effects greater than r = ±0.18. For smaller effects, however, false negatives could not be rejected with equal confidence as false positives. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that an association between the four polymorphisms with trait empathy measured by the IRI may not be present. We propose that the associations that have been found in other studies can be largely explained by differences in empathy-related constructs and measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Korbinian Huetter
- Institut für Pharmakogenetik, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Universität Duisburg Essen, D-45122 Essen, Germany.
| | - Birte Moehlendick
- Institut für Pharmakogenetik, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Universität Duisburg Essen, D-45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Knop
- Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Universität Duisburg Essen, D-45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Winfried Siffert
- Institut für Pharmakogenetik, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Universität Duisburg Essen, D-45122 Essen, Germany
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Gellner AK, Voelter J, Schmidt U, Beins EC, Stein V, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R. Molecular and neurocircuitry mechanisms of social avoidance. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:1163-1189. [PMID: 32997200 PMCID: PMC7904739 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03649-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Humans and animals live in social relationships shaped by actions of approach and avoidance. Both are crucial for normal physical and mental development, survival, and well-being. Active withdrawal from social interaction is often induced by the perception of threat or unpleasant social experience and relies on adaptive mechanisms within neuronal networks associated with social behavior. In case of confrontation with overly strong or persistent stressors and/or dispositions of the affected individual, maladaptive processes in the neuronal circuitries and its associated transmitters and modulators lead to pathological social avoidance. This review focuses on active, fear-driven social avoidance, affected circuits within the mesocorticolimbic system and associated regions and a selection of molecular modulators that promise translational potential. A comprehensive review of human research in this field is followed by a reflection on animal studies that offer a broader and often more detailed range of analytical methodologies. Finally, we take a critical look at challenges that could be addressed in future translational research on fear-driven social avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Kathrin Gellner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jella Voelter
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26160, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry Und Psychotherapy, University of Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Carolina Beins
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Valentin Stein
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Bonn, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany. .,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26160, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. .,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
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8
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Heinla I, Heijkoop R, Houwing DJ, Olivier JDA, Snoeren EMS. Third-party prosocial behavior in adult female rats is impaired after perinatal fluoxetine exposure. Physiol Behav 2020; 222:112899. [PMID: 32348809 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
SSRIs are commonly used to treat pregnant women with depression. However, SSRIs can cross the placenta and affect the development of the fetus. The effects of perinatal SSRI exposure, and especially the effects on social behavior, are still incompletely documented. This study first aims to investigate whether rats show prosocial behavior in the form of consolation behavior. Secondly, it aims to investigate whether perinatal SSRI exposure affects this prosocial behavior. At last, we investigate whether the behavior changed after the rats had been exposed to an additional white-noise stressor. Rat dams received 10 mg/kg/d fluoxetine (FLX) or vehicle (CTR) via oral gavage from gestational day 1 until postnatal day 21. At adulthood, the rat offspring were housed in four cohorts of 4 females and 4 males in a seminatural environment. As prosocial behaviors are more prominent after stressful situations, we investigated the behavioral response of rats immediately after natural aggressive encounters (fights). Additionally, we studied whether a stressful white-noise exposure would alter this response to the aggressive encounters. Our study indicates that CTR-female rats are able to show third party prosocial behavior in response to witnessing aggressive encounters between conspecifics in a seminatural environment. In addition, we showed that perinatal FLX exposure impairs the display of prosocial behavior in female rats. Moreover, we found no signs of prosocial behavior in CTR- and FLX-males after natural aggressive encounters. After white-noise exposure the effects in third party prosocial behavior of CTR-females ceased to exist. We conclude that female rats are able to show prosocial behavior, possibly in the form of consolation behavior. In addition, the negative effects of perinatal fluoxetine exposure on prosocial behavior could provide additional evidence that SSRI treatment during pregnancy could contribute to the risk for social impairments in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrek Heinla
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | - Roy Heijkoop
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | - Danielle J Houwing
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jocelien D A Olivier
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Eelke M S Snoeren
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway; Regional Health Authority of North Norway.
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9
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Uysal N, Çamsari UM, ATEş M, Kandİş S, Karakiliç A, Çamsari GB. Empathy as a Concept from Bench to Bedside: A Translational Challenge. Noro Psikiyatr Ars 2020; 57:71-77. [PMID: 32110155 PMCID: PMC7024828 DOI: 10.29399/npa.23457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Empathy is a multidimensional paradigm, and there currently is a lack of scientific consensus in its definition. In this paper, we review the possibility of compromising data during behavioral neuroscience experiments, including but not limited to those who study empathy. The experimental protocols can affect, and be affected by, empathy and related processes at multiple levels. We discuss several points to help researchers develop a successful translational pathway for behavioral research on empathy. Despite varying in their focus with no widely accepted model, current rodent models on empathy have provided sound translational explanations for many neuropsychiatric proof-of-concepts to date. Research has shown that empathy can be influenced by many parameters, some of which are to be reviewed in this paper. We emphasize the future importance of consistency in modeling proof of concept; efforts to create a multidisciplinary group which would include both bench scientists and clinicians with expertise in neuropsychiatry, and the consideration of empathy as an independent variable in animal behavioral experimental designs which is not the mainstream practice at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazan Uysal
- Department of Physiology, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Ulaş M. Çamsari
- Department of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mehmet ATEş
- Department of Pharmacology, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Sevim Kandİş
- Department of Physiology, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Aslı Karakiliç
- Department of Physiology, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Gamze B. Çamsari
- Department of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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10
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Staes N, Sherwood CC, Freeman H, Brosnan SF, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD, Bradley BJ. Serotonin Receptor 1A Variation Is Associated with Anxiety and Agonistic Behavior in Chimpanzees. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:1418-1429. [PMID: 31045220 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in regulating behavior and personality in humans and other mammals. Polymorphisms in genes coding for the serotonin receptor subtype 1A (HTR1A), the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), and the serotonin degrading enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) are associated with anxiety, impulsivity, and neurotic personality in humans. In primates, previous research has largely focused on SLC6A4 and MAOA, with few studies investigating the role of HTR1A polymorphic variation on behavior. Here, we examined variation in the coding region of HTR1A across apes, and genotyped polymorphic coding variation in a sample of 214 chimpanzees with matched measures of personality and behavior. We found evidence for positive selection at three amino acid substitution sites, one in chimpanzees-bonobos (Thr26Ser), one in humans (Phe33Val), and one in orangutans (Ala274Gly). Investigation of the HTR1A coding region in chimpanzees revealed a polymorphic site, where a C/A single nucleotide polymorphism changes a proline to a glutamine in the amino acid sequence (Pro248Gln). The substitution is located in the third intracellular loop of the receptor, a region important for serotonin signal transduction. The derived variant is the major allele in this population (frequency 0.67), and is associated with a reduction in anxiety, decreased rates of male agonistic behavior, and an increase in socio-positive behavior. These results are the first evidence that the HTR1A gene may be involved in regulating social behavior in chimpanzees and encourage further systematic investigation of polymorphic variation in other primate populations with corresponding data on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Staes
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC.,Department of Biology, Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Hani Freeman
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX
| | - Sarah F Brosnan
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX.,Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.,Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.,Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, IA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
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Flasbeck V, Moser D, Pakusch J, Kumsta R, Brüne M. The association between childhood maltreatment and empathic perspective taking is moderated by the 5-HTT linked polymorphic region: Another example of "differential susceptibility". PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226737. [PMID: 31856211 PMCID: PMC6922468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has suggested that the short (S)-allele of the 5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) may confer "differential susceptibility" to environmental impact with regard to the expression of personality traits, depressivity and impulsivity. However, little is known about the role of 5-HTTLPR concerning the association between childhood adversity and empathy. Here, we analyzed samples of 137 healthy participants and 142 individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) focusing on the 5-HTTLPR genotype (S/L-carrier) and A/G SNP (rs25531), in relation to childhood maltreatment and empathy traits. Whereas no between-group difference in 5-HTTLPR genotype distribution emerged, the S-allele selectively moderated the impact of childhood maltreatment on empathic perspective taking, whereby low scores in childhood trauma were associated with superior perspective taking. In contrast, L-homozygotes seemed to be largely unresponsive to variation in environmental conditions in relation to empathy, suggesting that the S-allele confers "differential susceptibility". Moreover, a moderation analysis and tests for differential susceptibility yielded similar results when transcriptional activity of the serotonin transporter gene was taken into account. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the S-allele of the 5-HTTLPR is responsive to early developmental contingencies for "better and worse", i.e. conferring genetic plasticity, especially with regard to processes involving emotional resonance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Flasbeck
- LWL University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Johanna Pakusch
- Department of General Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Brüne
- LWL University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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12
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Caplan B, Morgan J, Noroña AN, Tung I, Lee SS, Baker BL. The nature and nurture of social development: The role of 5-HTTLPR and gene-parenting interactions. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY : JFP : JOURNAL OF THE DIVISION OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (DIVISION 43) 2019; 33:927-937. [PMID: 31414862 PMCID: PMC6878128 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Social skills are traditionally viewed as acquired through social environments including parenting. However, biopsychosocial models highlight the importance of genetic influences and gene-environment interactions (G×Es) in child development. Extant G×E investigations often fail to account for developmental changes in the phenotype or rigorously assess the social environment using observational measures. The present study prospectively assessed 110 children (44.5% female) and their parents to explore biologically plausible independent and interactive associations of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and observed positive and negative parenting in prediction of (a) initial levels of social skills at school entry (age 6 years) and (b) developmental changes in social skills across the early school years (ages 6-9 years). Overall, the SS (vs. SL/LL) 5-HTTLPR genotype inversely predicted social skills across all domains, although parenting behavior moderated these associations wherein putative G×E effects differed by developmental timing and social skills domain. Positive parenting positively predicted concurrent (age 6) overall social skills for children with SL/LL genotypes, but not the SS genotype. However, for the SS group only, age 6 positive parenting positively predicted prospective growth in social responsibility, although negative parenting positively predicted growth in social cooperation. Findings suggest that 5-HTTLPR may signal differential sensitivities to parenting styles and patterns of social development, which may help to inform targeted intervention approaches to enhance person-environment fit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Caplan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Julia Morgan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | - Irene Tung
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Steve S. Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Bruce L. Baker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
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13
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Sun P, Liu Z, Guo Q, Fan J. Shyness Weakens the Agreeableness-Prosociality Association via Social Self-Efficacy: A Moderated-Mediation Study of Chinese Undergraduates. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1084. [PMID: 31139123 PMCID: PMC6527772 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a sample of 1383 undergraduate students (M age = 20.06, N female = 817), this study tested a moderated mediation model in which shyness moderated the association between agreeableness and prosocial behavior, as well as the relation between agreeableness and social self-efficacy (SSE). Results showed (when gender, age, and family socio-economic status were controlled) that agreeableness exerted a positive effect on prosocial behavior (PSB) toward three types of recipients (i.e., family members, friends/acquaintances, strangers), and this effect was mediated by SSE and moderated by shyness. The relationships between agreeableness and PSB were more positive under low shyness than that under high shyness condition. In addition, shyness also moderated the first stage of mediation model (i.e., the agreeableness-SSE association), showing that the relation between agreeableness and SSE was more positive under low shyness than that under high shyness condition. Identifying the moderation effect of shyness provides evidence that personality traits may operate in an interactive manner. This may shed new light on why there are inconsistent findings regarding the agreeableness-prosociality association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Sun
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Beijing Key Lab of Applied Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qingke Guo
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Guangxi University and College Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Psychology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Junyi Fan
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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Guo Q, Sun P, Li L. Shyness and online prosocial behavior: A study on multiple mediation mechanisms. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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15
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Hortensius R, de Gelder B. From Empathy to Apathy: The Bystander Effect Revisited. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2018; 27:249-256. [PMID: 30166777 PMCID: PMC6099971 DOI: 10.1177/0963721417749653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The bystander effect, the reduction in helping behavior in the presence of other people, has been explained predominantly by situational influences on decision making. Diverging from this view, we highlight recent evidence on the neural mechanisms and dispositional factors that determine apathy in bystanders. We put forward a new theoretical perspective that integrates emotional, motivational, and dispositional aspects. In the presence of other bystanders, personal distress is enhanced, and fixed action patterns of avoidance and freezing dominate. This new perspective suggests that bystander apathy results from a reflexive emotional reaction dependent on the personality of the bystander.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruud Hortensius
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Glasgow
| | - Beatrice de Gelder
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University.,Department of Computer Science, University College London
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16
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Why neurotic individuals are less prosocial? A multiple mediation analysis regarding related mechanisms. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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17
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Gärtner A, Strobel A, Reif A, Lesch KP, Enge S. Genetic variation in serotonin function impacts on altruistic punishment in the ultimatum game: A longitudinal approach. Brain Cogn 2018; 125:37-44. [PMID: 29859448 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2018.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 05/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence demonstrates that the serotonin system influences punishment behavior in social decision-making and that individual differences in the propensity to punish are, at least in part, due to genetic variation. However, the specific genes and their mechanisms by which they influence punishment behavior are not yet fully characterized. Here, we examined whether serotonin system-related gene variation impacts on altruistic punishment in the ultimatum game by using a longitudinal approach with three time points, covering a time frame up to four months in young adults (N = 106). Specifically, we investigated additive effects of 5-HTTLPR and TPH2 G-703T genotypes by using a composite score. This composite score was significantly associated with altruistic punishment, with individuals carrying both the S-allele and the G-allele demonstrating less punishment behavior. The results suggest that serotonin system-related gene variation contributes to individual differences in altruistic punishment. Furthermore, comparably high test-retest correlations suggest that punishment behavior in the ultimatum game represents a relatively stable, trait-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Gärtner
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Alexander Strobel
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sören Enge
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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18
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Sensory processing sensitivity and serotonin gene variance: Insights into mechanisms shaping environmental sensitivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:472-483. [PMID: 27697602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Current research supports the notion that the apparently innate trait Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) may act as a modulator of development as function of the environment. Interestingly, the common serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) does the same. While neural mechanisms underlying SPS are largely unknown, those associated with the 5-HTTLPR have been extensively investigated. We perform a comparative analysis of research findings on sensory processing facets associated with the trait and polymorphism to: 1. detect shared phenotypes and frame a hypothesis towards neural mechanisms underlying SPS; 2. increase the understanding of 5-HTTLPR-associated behavioral patterns. Trait and polymorphism are both associated with differential susceptibility to environmental stimuli; additionally, both involve 1. having stronger emotional reactions, 2. processing of sensory information more deeply, 3. being more aware of environmental subtleties, and 4. being easily overstimulated. We discuss neural mechanisms and environmental conditions that may underlie these four facets. Besides urging the actual assessment of the link between the two, the conclusions of our analyses may guide and focus future research strategies.
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Ben-Ami Bartal I, Shan H, Molasky NMR, Murray TM, Williams JZ, Decety J, Mason P. Anxiolytic Treatment Impairs Helping Behavior in Rats. Front Psychol 2016; 7:850. [PMID: 27375528 PMCID: PMC4896909 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research with humans, the biological mechanisms that motivate an individual to help others remain poorly understood. In order to investigate the roots of pro-sociality in mammals, we established the helping behavior test, a paradigm in which rats are faced with a conspecific trapped in a restrainer that can only be opened from the outside. Over the course of repeated test sessions, rats exposed to a trapped cagemate learn to open the door to the restrainer, thereby helping the trapped rat to escape (Ben-Ami Bartal et al., 2011). The discovery of this natural behavior provides a unique opportunity to probe the motivation of rodent helping behavior, leading to a deeper understanding of biological influences on human pro-sociality. To determine if an affective response motivates door-opening, rats receiving midazolam, a benzodiazepine anxiolytic, were tested in the helping behavior test. Midazolam-treated rats showed less helping behavior than saline-treated rats or rats receiving no injection. Yet, midazolam-treated rats opened a restrainer containing chocolate, highlighting the socially specific effects of the anxiolytic. To determine if midazolam interferes with helping through a sympatholytic effect, the peripherally restricted beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist nadolol was administered; nadolol did not interfere with helping. The corticosterone response of rats exposed to a trapped cagemate was measured and compared to the rats’ subsequent helping behavior. Rats with the greatest corticosterone responses showed the least helping behavior and those with the smallest responses showed the most consistent helping at the shortest latency. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for the interaction between stress and pro-social behavior. Finally, we observed that door-opening appeared to be reinforcing. A novel analytical tool was designed to interrogate the pattern of door-opening for signs that a rat’s behavior on one session influenced his behavior on the next session. Results suggest that helping a trapped rat has a greater motivational value than does chocolate. In sum, this series of experiments clearly demonstrates the fundamental role of affect in motivating pro-social behavior in rodents and the need for a helper to resonate with the affect of a victim.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Haozhe Shan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nora M R Molasky
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Teresa M Murray
- Department of Psychology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA; Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
| | - Peggy Mason
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
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Challis C, Berton O. Top-Down Control of Serotonin Systems by the Prefrontal Cortex: A Path toward Restored Socioemotional Function in Depression. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1040-54. [PMID: 25706226 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social withdrawal, increased threat perception, and exaggerated reassurance seeking behaviors are prominent interpersonal symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered serotonin (5-HT) systems and corticolimbic dysconnectivity have long been suspected to contribute to these symptomatic facets; however, the underlying circuits and intrinsic cellular mechanisms that control 5-HT output during socioemotional interactions remain poorly understood. We review literature that implicates a direct pathway between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in the adaptive and pathological control of social approach-avoidance behaviors. Imaging and neuromodulation during approach-avoidance tasks in humans point to the cortical control of brainstem circuits as an essential regulator of socioemotional decisions and actions. Parallel rodent studies using viral-based connectomics and optogenetics are beginning to provide a cellular blueprint of the underlying circuitry. In these studies, manipulations of vmPFC synaptic inputs to the DRN have revealed bidirectional influences on socioaffective behaviors via direct monosynaptic excitation and indirect disynaptic inhibition of 5-HT neurons. Additionally, adverse social experiences that result in permanent avoidance biases, such as social defeat, drive long-lasting plasticity in this microcircuit, potentiating the indirect inhibition of 5-HT output. Conversely, neuromodulation of the vmPFC via deep brain stimulation (DBS) attenuates avoidance biases by restoring the direct excitatory drive of 5-HT neurons and strengthening a key subset of forebrain 5-HT projections. Better understanding the cellular organization of the vmPFC-DRN pathway and identifying molecular determinants of its neuroplasticity can open fundamentally novel avenues for the treatment of affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin Challis
- Department of Psychiatry, ‡Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Olivier Berton
- Department of Psychiatry, ‡Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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Abstract
In the current commentary, we discuss Stoltenberg and colleagues' finding (reported in this issue) that variation in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is associated with prosocial behavior via effects on anxiety in social situations. We note how their results are consistent with evidence from the psychopharmacological literature and illustrate how a mediational framework can inform understanding of genetic and psychological associations, and we suggest that future studies that manipulate social context could further elucidate the relationship between genes involved in serotonin regulation and prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G Ratner
- a Department of Psychology , The Ohio State University , Columbus , OH , USA
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