Common variant in OXTR predicts growth in positive emotions from loving-kindness training.

ABSTRACT: Ample research suggests that social connection reliably generates positive emotions. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in social cognition and behavior, is one biological mechanism that may influence an individual's capacity to extract positive emotions from social contexts. Because variation in certain genes may indicate underlying neurobiological differences, we tested whether several SNPs in two genes related to oxytocin signaling would show effects on positive emotions that were context-specific, depending on sociality. For six weeks, a sample of mid-life adults (N=122) participated in either socially-focused loving-kindness training or mindfulness training. During this timespan they reported their positive emotions daily. Five SNPs within OXTR and CD38 were assayed, and each was tes

SUBMITTER: Isgett SF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5359600 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature