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Developmental changes in social attention and oxytocin levels in infants and children

Minaho Nishizato1, Takashi X Fujisawa1,2, Hirotaka Kosaka1,2

  • 1Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, United Graduate School of Child Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.

Scientific Reports
|June 2, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Salivary oxytocin (OT) levels and attention to social cues decrease with age in young children. Oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) variations also influence this developmental trajectory, impacting social attention.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Oxytocin (OT) is crucial for social behavior, but its role in the development of social attention is understudied.
  • Existing research links social functioning to peripheral OT levels, yet developmental associations with early social attention are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the developmental relationship between gaze fixation on social cues and salivary OT levels in young children.
  • To explore the influence of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) polymorphisms on this association.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized eye-tracking technology to assess visual attention to social and non-social cues in infants and children aged 5-90 months.
  • Measured salivary OT concentrations in participants.
  • Analyzed the association between age, visual attention patterns, salivary OT levels, and OXTR rs53576 polymorphisms.

Main Results:

  • A negative association was found between age and attention to social cues, as well as age and salivary OT levels.
  • Attention to non-social cues showed a positive association with age.
  • Salivary OT levels were modulated by OXTR rs53576 polymorphisms.

Conclusions:

  • An age-dependent relationship exists between visual attention for social cues and OT levels in early childhood.
  • The development of visual attention to eyes as social cues is linked to both OXTR polymorphisms and OT levels.
  • OT and OXTR status may offer insights into atypical social attention development in infants and young children.

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