Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
Variability in medial prefrontal cortex responses to smiles in human infants is linked to genetic variation in the
1Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Abstract:
Smiling plays a critical role in guiding behavior during social interactions from early in human ontogeny. The current study examined whether genetic variation in the oxytocin system is linked to individual differences in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) responses to smiles in human infants. Results show that genetic variation in CD38 (rs3796863), linked in prior work to variation in oxytocin release, is associated with enhanced mPFC responses when 7-month-old infants were viewing smiles, but not when viewing angry or fearful faces. These findings provide novel evidence that oxytocin-related genetic variability contributes to early-emerging differences in social brain function and support the view that variability in processing of affiliative signals is influenced by neurogenetic mechanisms from early in human ontogeny.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Neurotransmitters
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Nonconscious Mimicry
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...

