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Variation in the Mu-Opioid Receptor (OPRM1) and Offspring Sex Are Associated With Maternal Behavior in Rhesus
Elizabeth K Wood1, Zachary Baron2, Melanie L Schwandt3
1Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States.
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
|April 4, 2022
Summary
Maternal μ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) genotype influences mother-infant attachment, particularly in female infants. The OPRM1 CC genotype is linked to closer bonds with female offspring, while male infants show less genotype-dependent attachment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Genetics
- Primatology
Background:
- The μ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene is crucial for social bonding, including mother-infant attachment.
- Maternal OPRM1 genotype variations are known to affect attachment behaviors.
- The influence of infant sex on maternal OPRM1 genotype interactions in attachment remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal OPRM1 genotype and infant sex on mother-infant attachment behaviors in rhesus macaques.
- To explore potential genotype-by-sex interactions in mediating the quality of early mother-infant bonds.
Main Methods:
- Collected mother-infant behavioral data from 161 rhesus macaque dyads over the first six months of offspring life.
- Genotyped mothers for OPRM1 variations.
- Utilized factor analysis to identify key behavioral components of attachment and maternal restraint.
Main Results:
- A significant two-way interaction between maternal OPRM1 genotype and infant sex was observed for both attachment and maternal restraint factors.
- Mothers with the CC genotype displayed more cradling and restraint, and less rejection, towards their female infants compared to CG genotype mothers.
- Female infants of CC genotype mothers showed less active engagement in maintaining proximity, suggesting a potentially more secure attachment, while male infants' attachment was not significantly differentiated by maternal genotype.
Conclusions:
- Maternal OPRM1 genotype significantly modulates mother-infant attachment behaviors in female offspring, but has a lesser impact on male offspring.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering offspring sex in studies of maternal OPRM1 genotype and its role in attachment.
- These results suggest that the OPRM1 CC genotype may foster more enduring mother-infant bonds in females, with implications for lifelong social relationships.
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