Oxytocin genetic pathway (CD38) and SDQ psychosocial characteristics in adolescent schoolchildren

Abstract

To determine an effect of CD38 on the regulation of oxytocin (OT) production and to identify psychosocial characteristics according to the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in adolescent schoolchildren. The study included 308 adolescents, aged 11-18 years, of an unbiased school sample from three large cities of Central Siberia (Krasnoyarsk, n=194; Abakan, n=76; Kyzyl, n=38). All participants were Russian. The ethnicity was determined by mother's descent. Psychological study using SDQ and analysis of gene polymorphisms in DNA from saliva samples were carried out. Genotyping was performed using TaqMan allele discrimination technology with TaqMan probes (DNA synthesis, Russia) using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Rotor-Gene 6000 (Corbett Life Science, Australia). Data were analyzed using Statistica v.10 software. In adolescence, the high activity of the OT pathway can cause a number of negative effects, such as emotional instability («Emotional problems» (p=0.048), «Goodman total score» (p=0.057), «Hyperactivity» (p=0.075). The differences are statistically significant (p≤0.05)) in young (11-14 years old) adolescent girls who carry the A allele for rs3796863 polymorphism. Similar gender differences are characteristic and have been described for other populations. The distribution of the CD38 rs3796863 genotypes was similar to that in Caucasians. In adolescence, OT production decreases in comparison with the prepubertal period, and there are gender differences in its concentration in biological liquids towards an increase in girls compared to boys. In addition, the medians of individual SDQ scales differed significantly between boys and girls in our sample. Our results support the hypothesis of excessive social sensitivity mediated by OT, which may lead to some gender- and age-dependent psychosocial problems.