OXTR moderates adverse childhood experiences on depressive symptoms among incarcerated males

This study examined the moderation of an oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene in the link between childhood adversity and depressive symptoms among incarcerated males.

Questionnaires about adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms, as well as genomic DNA from blood were collected among 608 incarcerated males (M_age = 32.4 years, SD = 9.41, 18-74 years). Moderation analysis was applied to examine the interaction between adverse childhood experiences (including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction) and the OXTR polymorphisms (rs2254298, rs53576) in predicting depressive symptoms.

Incarcerated males had relatively higher prevalence of childhood adversity (70.2%) and depressive symptoms (49.8%). Higher childhood adversity was associated with increased depressive symptoms, and the effect was more pronounced in the GG homozygotes of OXTR rs2254298 (b = 0.406, p < .001), as compared with the AA/AG carriers (b = 0.236, p < .001). By contrast, the OXTR rs53576 did not interact with childhood adversity in predicting depressive symptoms.

Chinese incarcerated males with the GG genotype of OXTR rs2254298 have higher vulnerability in the effect of childhood adversity on depressive symptoms.