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The moderating role of an oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism in the relation between unsupportive social interactions and coping profiles: implications for depression.

ABSTRACT: Oxytocin is a hormone that is thought to influence prosocial behaviors and may be important in modulating responses to both positive and negative social interactions. Indeed, a single nucleotide polymorphism, rs53576, of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with decreased trust, empathy, optimism, and social support seeking, which are important components of coping with stressors. In the current study, conducted among undergraduate students (N = 225), it was shown that parental and peer social support was related to fewer depressive symptoms through elevated problem-focused coping and lower emotion-focused coping, and these effects were independent of the OXTR polymorphism. Unsupportive social interactions from parents were associated with more severe depressive symptoms through the greater use of emotion-focused coping, and this relation was moderated by the OXTR genotype. Specifically, individuals who carried the polymorphism on one or both of their alleles demonstrated increased emotion-focused coping following unsupportive responses compared to those without the polymorphism. Likewise, lower problem-focused coping mediated the relation between parental and peer unsupportive responses to depressive symptoms, but this mediated relation was only evident among carriers of the polymorphism. These findings suggest that carrying this OXTR polymorphism might favor disadvantageous coping styles in the face of negative social interactions, which in turn are linked to poor mood. Regardless of genotype, parental, and peer social support are fundamental in determining stress-related coping and well-being.

SUBMITTER: McInnis OA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4531231 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The moderating role of an oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism in the relation between unsupportive social interactions and coping profiles: implications for depression.

McInnis Opal A OA McQuaid Robyn J RJ Matheson Kimberly K Anisman Hymie H

Frontiers in psychology 20150811

Oxytocin is a hormone that is thought to influence prosocial behaviors and may be important in modulating responses to both positive and negative social interactions. Indeed, a single nucleotide polymorphism, rs53576, of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with decreased trust, empathy, optimism, and social support seeking, which are important components of coping with stressors. In the current study, conducted among undergraduate students (N = 225), it was shown that parental ...[more]

PMID: 26321972

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Project description:For poor sleep quality (SQ) as well as major depressive disorder (MDD) and burnout, a dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been identified. Although poor SQ is often reported as an early symptom of MDD or burnout, it is not clear whether HPA axis-related hormones can influence the association between SQ and MDD or burnout. This manuscript addresses this question by examining HPA axis-related hormones as potential moderators influencing the association between SQ and MDD or burnout. In the fourth annual examination wave of the Dresden Burnout Study, we measured general SQ (including sleep duration and efficiency), depressive and burnout symptoms, and obtained hair samples for quantification of long-term integrated steroid concentrations (cortisol [hC], cortisone [hCn], dehydroepiandrosterone [hDHEA]) from 462 participants (67% female). Data on SQ, depressive and burnout symptoms were available from 342 participants from the preceding examination wave (average time span between examinations 13.2 months). Cross-sectional analyses showed that the negative association between sleep duration and depressive symptoms was buffered by higher levels of hC, and hCn, whereas the negative association between sleep duration and burnout symptoms was buffered by higher levels of hDHEA. The negative association between sleep efficiency and burnout symptoms was intensified by higher levels of hC and hC/hCn ratio and the negative association between general SQ and burnout symptoms was intensified by higher levels of hC/hCn ratio. With regard to longitudinal data, a significant interaction effect between sleep duration and hC/hCn ratio could be detected for burnout symptoms. Our results suggest opposed moderation effects of hair glucocorticoids on the association between SQ and depressive or burnout symptoms. This points toward opposed glucocorticoid receptor functioning in depression and burnout. To fully elucidate the negative consequences of poor SQ on MDD and burnout, the complex underlying mechanisms of action including HPA axis-related hormones need to be investigated in MDD and burnout separately. Highlights • hC and hDHEA are not directly related to depression, burnout, or sleep symptoms.• Higher hC levels buffer the relation between poor sleep quality (SQ) and depression.• Higher hC levels intensify the relation between poor SQ and burnout.• Higher hDHEA levels buffer the relation between poor SQ and burnout.• hC and hDHEA exhibit contrary effects on the relation between SQ and burnout.

Dataset Information

The moderating role of an oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism in the relation between unsupportive social interactions and coping profiles: implications for depression.

Publications

The moderating role of an oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism in the relation between unsupportive social interactions and coping profiles: implications for depression.

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