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Studies of the Relationship between Oxytocinergic System Genes, Perinatal Complications, and the Formation of Interpersonal Relationships in Schizophrenia Patients

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Objectives. To identify any relationship between the genes of the oxytocinergic pathway and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia, i.e., the ability of schizophrenia patients to form interpersonal relationships, taking account of the influence of environmental factors such as perinatal complications. Materials and methods. The study involved a total of 383 people (140 women and 243 men, mean age 32.6 ± 11.4 years), of whom 107 had perinatal complications and 276 did not. Psychometric studies used a points assessment of the level of social functioning (the interpersonal relationships domain of the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP)). Genotyping addressed the rs53576, rs4686302, and rs1042778 polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and the rs3796863 polymorphism of the transmembrane glycoprotein gene (CD38). Results. The group with perinatal complications showed an association with OXTR polymorphism rs53576 and the level of interpersonal relationships (p = 0.005). Significant differences were found between carriers of the GG genotype (rs53576) and carriers of the A variant (p = 0.003). In the group without perinatal complications, the genotype did not show any significant effect on this parameter. Other polymorphic sites showed no association with the level of interpersonal relationships in either group. Conclusions. The results obtained here are consistent with concepts based on extensive evidence linking oxytocinergic system genes with social behavior. We obtained new data on the influence of the known OXTR polymorphism rs53576 on a phenotype not previously studied from this point of view – the ability to form interpersonal relationships – in schizophrenia patients; the genotype effect was found to depend on the environmental risk factor (perinatal complications).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mental Health Research Center, Moscow, Russia

    V. A. Mikhailova, T. V. Lezheiko, N. Yu. Kolesina & V. E. Golimbet

  2. Alekseev Psychiatric Clinic No. 1, Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia

    V. A. Mikhailova

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  1. V. A. Mikhailova
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  2. T. V. Lezheiko
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  3. N. Yu. Kolesina
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  4. V. E. Golimbet
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Correspondence to V. E. Golimbet.

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Translated from Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S. S. Korsakova, Vol. 121, No. 10, Iss. 1, pp. 95–100, October, 2021.

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Mikhailova, V.A., Lezheiko, T.V., Kolesina, N.Y. et al. Studies of the Relationship between Oxytocinergic System Genes, Perinatal Complications, and the Formation of Interpersonal Relationships in Schizophrenia Patients. Neurosci Behav Physi 52, 614–618 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-022-01285-5

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