A Meta-Analysis of the Association of Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR) Polymorphisms with Aggression and Antisocial Behavior

Increasing evidence suggests that oxytocin and the Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR) influence social cognition and behavior in humans and animals. OXTR has been investigated in relation to antisocial behavior and aggression,... [ view full abstract ]

Increasing evidence suggests that oxytocin and the Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR) influence social cognition and behavior in humans and animals. OXTR has been investigated in relation to antisocial behavior and aggression, but studies of which SNPs in OXTR influence antisocial behavior and aggression and the magnitude of these associations have yielded inconsistent findings. The present meta-analysis (number of studies = 11, number of samples = 14), based on a total sample of 11,479 individuals, examined the overall effects and consistency of associations between six variants in OXTR and antisocial behavior. Evidence of significant heterogeneity was found for each SNP analyzed, thus the results of random-effects models are presented. Random effects models identified significant associations between rs237887 (r = .06, p = .002) and antisocial behavior. The small number of studies available for analyses of each SNP precluded examination of the specific moderator variables that accounted for heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses suggest that the results of these analyses were robust to exclusion of each individual study and publication bias. Despite several limitations, this meta-analysis is the first to systematically examine the effects of OXTR polymorphisms on aggression and antisocial behavior and suggests that, despite heterogeneity across studies, there is some consistent evidence that OXTR is significantly associated with antisocial behavior and aggression.