Oxytocin-Receptor Gene Modulates Reward-Network Connection and Relationship with Empathy Performance

Abstract

Introduction

Empathy traits are highly heritable and linked with reward processing. It is implicated that common variations of the oxytocin-receptor gene (OXTR) play a modulatory effect on empathic performance. However, it is unclear about the neural substrates underlying the modulatory effect of the OXTR genotype on empathic performance. This study aimed to characterize the modulatory effect of common OXTR variations on reward-circuitry function and its relationship with empathy.

Methods

Based on the seed of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc; a key hub of reward circuitry), we examined differences in spontaneous local activity and functional connectivity between OXTR rs2268493 genotype groups and their relationship with empathic performance among 402 high-homogeneity participants.

Results

Comparing with C carriers (CC/CT) group, the individuals with the rs2268493 TT genotype exhibited lower functional connectivity of the right NAcc with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and inferior frontal gyrus. Similarly lower functional connectivity was found between the left NAcc and mPFC. Consequently, no significant difference was found in the spontaneous local activity of NAcc.

Discussion

Our findings suggested that common OXTR variations have a modulatory effect on the connection of the NAcc with the hub of empathic networks (mPFC and IFG), which may provide insight on the neural substrate underlying the modulatory effect of OXTR on empathic behavior.

Keywords:

• empathy
• oxytocin-receptor gene
• reward network
• RS-fMRI
• rs2268493

Ethics Statement

The subjects were recruited from Anhui Medical University, Anhui Province, China. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Anhui Medical University. All subjects gave written informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Acknowledgments

We thank all the participants enrolled in our study. We also thank the Information Science Laboratory Center of USTC for the measurement services.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (91432301, 31571149, 81171273, and 91232717 to KW) and the Basic and Clinical Collaborative Research Enhancement Programme of Anhui Medical University (2022xkjT016).