Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32803764›Full record

ArticleDevelopmental psychobiology2021

OXTR DNA methylation moderates the developmental calibration of neural reward sensitivity.

Marlen Z Gonzalez, Kelly L Wroblewski, Joseph P Allen, James A Coan, Jessica J Connelly

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Developmental psychobiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. How childhood adversity affects components of decision making.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Genetic and epigenetic signatures associated with plasma oxytocin levels in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2023
    Trial
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. An epigenetic rheostat of experience: DNA methylation ofComprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2021
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Marlen Z GonzalezCornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1290-4483
Kelly L WroblewskiUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Joseph P AllenUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
James A CoanUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Jessica J ConnellyUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
University of Virginia · USCornell University · US

Funding

Social Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Health & Aging from Adolescence through Mid-AdulthoodR37HD058305 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · PI JOSEPH Patrick ALLEN · 2018 to 2026
$6.1M
Adolescent Peer and Family Relationship Predictors of Adult HealthR01HD058305 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · PI ALLEN, JOSEPH PATRICK · 2008 to 2017
$5.4M
FAMILY CONTEXTS OF DEVELOPING ADOLESCENT PEER RELATIONSR01MH058066 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHARLOTTESVILLE · PI ALLEN, JOSEPH PATRICK · 1998 to 2007
$3.7M
Examining the physical toll of the transition to emerging adulthood and exploring resilience possibilitiesR01MD016893 · NIMHD · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · PI JOSEPH Patrick ALLEN, Noelle M Hurd · 2022 to 2026
$3.7M
Neural Mechanisms of Social Emotion RegulationR01MH080725 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · PI COAN, JAMES A · 2009 to 2012
$1.3M
Recasting the Classroom Setting to Promote Acceptance of Youth with ADHD by PeersR21MH091486 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · PI ALLEN, JOSEPH PATRICK · 2010 to 2011
$414k
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 9R01 HD058305-11A1NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD058305NICHD NIH HHS R37 HD058305NIMHD NIH HHS R01 MD016893NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH058066NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH080725NIMH NIH HHS R21 MH091486
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Adaptive Calibration Model of Stress Responsivity (ACM) suggests that developmental experiences predictably tune biological systems to meet the demands of the environment. Particularly important is the calibration of reward systems. Using a longitudinal sample (N = 184) followed since adolescence, this study models the dimensions of early life stress and their effects on epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and individual differences in neural response to reward anticipation. We first created a latent variable model of developmental context using measures collected when participants were 13 years old. As adults, two subsets of participants completed a reward anticipation fMRI paradigm (N = 82) and agreed to have their blood assayed for (OXTR) DNA methylation (N = 112) at two CpG sites. Three latent constructs of developmental context emerged: Neighborhood Harshness, Family Harshness, and Abuse and Disorder. Greater OXTR DNA methylation at CpG sites -924 and -934 blunted the association between greater Neighborhood Harshness and increased neural activation in caudate in anticipation of rewards. Interaction effects were also found outside of reward-related areas for all three latent constructs. Results indicate an epigenetically derived differential susceptibility model whereby high methylation coincides with decreased association between developmental environment and neural reward anticipation.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationReceptors, OxytocinRewardAdolescentAdultHumansOxytocinOXTR protein, humanOxytocinReceptors, Oxytocindevelopmental plasticityearly life stressneighborhood qualityneural rewardOXTR

Identifiers

PMID32803764
PMCPMC8827127
OpenAlexW3080847902

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.