Dopamine and oxytocin and their relevance for attachment: A gene x gene interaction study

An interaction between dopamine and oxytocin has been shown in several human and animal studies. Effects of oxytocin on dopaminergic activity depend on the location of dopaminergic neurons resulting in increased prosocial or decreased exploratory behavior. Both components are associated with attachment and the knowledge so far justifies investigating the interaction on a molecular genetic level with respect to adult attachment. A total number of N = 545 participants were genotyped for COMT rs4680 and OXTR rs53576. The Attachment-Style-Questionnaire (ASQ) was used to measure adult attachment. The interaction of COMT and OXTR yielded a significant result for the ASQ. The combination of the COMT-Met/Met and OXTR-AA genotype yielded significantly higher Need for Approval and Relationships as Secondary. The results confirm the interaction between dopamine and oxytocin for certain aspects of adult attachment as a “behavioral phenotype” and will be discussed with respect to a better understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of attachment. • Significant interaction of dopamine and oxytocin for adult attachment (ASQ) • Met/Met (rs4680) and AA (rs53576) individuals scored highest on insecurity scales • Need for Approval and Relationships as Secondary responsible for significant ASQ • Implications for pair bonding and mother-infant attachment • Epigenetics and brain imaging as next steps