Top

Gepubliceerd in:

23-03-2019 | ORIGINAL PAPER

Neurogenetic Mechanisms of Self-Compassionate Mindfulness: the Role of Oxytocin-Receptor Genes

Auteurs: Yuyin Wang, Linlin Fan, Yiyi Zhu, Junkai Yang, Cong Wang, Li Gu, Shengqi Zhong, Yingyu Huang, Xiaolin Xie, Hui Zhou, Siyang Luo, Xiang Wu

Gepubliceerd in: Mindfulness | Uitgave 9/2019

Abstract

Objectives

Self-compassionate mindfulness is an important component of self-compassion and has been viewed as an essential factor contributing to well-being. With current advances in social neuroscience highlighting the neurogenetic basis of human behaviors, the present study aimed to investigate the neurogenetic foundation of self-compassionate mindfulness. Of particular interest is OXTR rs53576, which is responsible for affiliation and has been suggested as the potential genetic mechanism underlying self-compassionate mindfulness.

Methods

We performed a resting-state fMRI and used a graph theory-based analysis in a sample of genotyped healthy college students. The Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF) was used to assess the trait of self-compassion.

Results

G allele carriers of OXTR rs53576 displayed higher self-compassionate mindfulness than did A/A carriers (p = 0.034, η_p² = 0.086). Moreover, the graphic metric of the degree in regions in the empathy network (i.e., the right angular gyrus, medial prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex) mediated the association between OXTR rs53576 and self-compassionate mindfulness (95% CI [0.1716, 1.2929]). The graphic metric of the local efficiency in regions of the executive control network (i.e., the right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex and inferior parietal cortex) also mediated the relationship between OXTR rs53576 and self-compassionate mindfulness (95% CI [0.1792, 1.2866]).

Conclusions

These findings advance our understanding of how self-compassionate mindfulness affects mental health improvements, which is conducive to preventions and interventions aiming to enhance well-being.

vorige artikel Effects of Mindfulness on Negative Affect, Body Dissatisfaction, and Disordered Eating Urges

volgende artikel Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual in Adults with ADHD: a Trial-Based Economic Evaluation

Alleen toegankelijk voor geautoriseerde gebruikers

Aiken, L. S., West, S. G., & Reno, R. R. (1991). Multiple regression: testing and interpreting interactions. Sage.

Albertson, E. R., Neff, K., & Dill-Shackleford, K. E. (2015). Self-compassion and body dissatisfaction in women: a randomized controlled trial of a brief meditation intervention. Mindfulness, 6(3), 444–454.CrossRef

Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., & van Ijzendoorn, M. H. (2008). Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genes associated with observed parenting. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 3(2), 128–134.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Barnby, J. M., Bailey, N. W., Chambers, R., & Fitzgerald, P. B. (2015). How similar are the changes in neural activity resulting from mindfulness practice in contrast to spiritual practice? Consciousness and Cognition, 36, 219–232.PubMedCrossRef

Bassett, D. S., & Sporns, O. (2017). Network neuroscience. Nature Neuroscience, 20(3), 353–364.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., et al. (2004). Mindfulness: a proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 230–241.

Biswal, B. B., Mennes, M., Zuo, X. N., Gohel, S., Kelly, C., Smith, S. M., et al. (2010). Toward discovery science of human brain function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 107(10), 4734–4739.CrossRef

Brewer, J. A., Worhunsky, P. D., Gray, J. R., Tang, Y. Y., Weber, J., & Kober, H. (2011). Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA,108(50), 20254-20259.

Bullmore, E. T., & Sporns, O. (2009). Complex brain networks: graph theoretical analysis of structural and functional systems. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(3), 186–198.PubMedCrossRef

Buric, I., Farias, M., Jong, J., Mee, C., & Brazil, I. A. (2017). What is the molecular signature of mind-body interventions? A systematic review of gene expression changes induced by meditation and related practices. Frontiers in Immunology, 8, 670.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Chen, F. S., Kumsta, R., von Dawans, B., Monakhov, M., Ebstein, R. P., & Heinrichs, M. (2011). Common oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism and social support interact to reduce stress in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 108(50), 19937–19942.CrossRef

Cole, D. M., Smith, S. M., & Beckmann, C. F. (2010). Advances and pitfalls in the analysis and interpretation of resting-state FMRI data. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 4, 8.PubMedPubMedCentral

Davis-Siegel, J., Gottman, M., & Siegel, D. J. (2015). Handbook of mindfulness and self-regulation. New York: Springer.

Decety, J., & Lamm, C. (2007). The role of the right temporoparietal junction in social interaction: How low-level computational processes contribute to meta-cognition. Neuroscientist, 13(6), 580–593.PubMedCrossRef

Ditzen, B., Schaer, M., Gabriel, B., Bodenmann, G., Ehlert, U., & Heinrichs, M. (2009). Intranasal oxytocin increases positive communication and reduces cortisol levels during couple conflict. Biological Psychiatry, 65(9), 728–731.PubMedCrossRef

Domes, G., Heinrichs, M., Glascher, J., Buchel, C., Braus, D. F., & Herpertz, S. C. (2007). Oxytocin attenuates amygdala responses to emotional faces regardless of valence. Biological Psychiatry, 62(10), 1187–1190.PubMedCrossRef

Ebert, A., Edel, M. A., Gilbert, P., & Brune, M. (2018). Endogenous oxytocin is associated with the experience of compassion and recalled upbringing in borderline personality disorder. Depression and Anxiety, 35(1), 50–57.PubMedCrossRef

Engen, H. G., & Singer, T. (2013). Empathy circuits. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 23(2), 275–282.PubMedCrossRef

Fan, Y., Duncan, N. W., de Greck, M., & Northoff, G. (2011). Is there a core neural network in empathy? An fMRI based quantitative meta-analysis. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(3), 903–911.PubMedCrossRef

Farb, N. A., Segal, Z. V., Mayberg, H., Bean, J., Mckeon, D., Fatima, Z., & Anderson, A. K. (2007). Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2(4), 313–322.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A. G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G* Power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175–191.PubMedCrossRef

Fornito, A., & Bullmore, E. T. (2012). Connectomic intermediate phenotypes for psychiatric disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 3, 32.PubMedPubMedCentral

Gallese, V., Keysers, C., & Rizzolatti, G. (2004). A unifying view of the basis of social cognition. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8(9), 396–403.PubMedCrossRef

Garcia-Campayo, J., Navarro-Gil, M., Andres, E., Montero-Marin, J., Lopez-Artal, L., & Demarzo, M. M. P. (2014). Validation of the Spanish versions of the long (26 items) and short (12 items) forms of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Health and Quallity of Life Outcomes, 12, 4.CrossRef

Germer, C. K. (2009). The mindful path to self-compassion: freeing yourself from destructive thoughts and emotions. Guilford Press.

Gilbert, P. (2009). The compassionate mind: a new approach to facing the challenges of life. London: Constable Robinson.

Gilbert, P., & Irons, C. (2005). Compassion: conceptualisations, research and use in psychotherapy. Routledge.

Gozzi, M., Dashow, E. M., Thurm, A., Swedo, S. E., & Zink, C. F. (2017). Effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on preferential brain responses to negative social feedback. Neuropsychopharmacology, 42(7), 1409–1419.PubMedCrossRef

Hall, C. W., Row, K. A., Wuensch, K. L., & Godley, K. R. (2013). The role of self-compassion in physical and psychological well-being. Journal of Psychology, 147(4), 311–323.PubMedCrossRef

Han, S., & Ma, Y. (2015). A culture-behavior-brain loop model of human development. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19(11), 666–676.PubMedCrossRef

Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25.PubMedCrossRef

Heinrichs, M., Baumgartner, T., Kirschbaum, C., & Ehlert, U. (2003). Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress. Biological Psychiatry, 54(12), 1389–1398.PubMedCrossRef

Hinton, D. E., Ojserkis, R. A., Jalal, B., Peou, S., & Hofmann, S. G. (2013). Loving-kindness in the treatment of traumatized refugees and minority groups: a typology of mindfulness and the nodal network model of affect and affect regulation. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(8), 817–828.PubMedCrossRef

Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., & Lazar, S. W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research-Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36–43.CrossRef

Hu, Y., Wang, Y., Sun, Y., Arteta-Garcia, J., & Purol, S. (2018). Diary study: the protective role of self-compassion on stress-related poor sleep quality. Mindfulness, 9(6), 1931–1940.CrossRef

Hurlemann, R., Patin, A., Onur, O. A., Cohen, M. X., Baumgartner, T., Metzler, S., & …Kendrick, K. M. (2010). Oxytocin enhances amygdala-dependent, socially reinforced learning and emotional empathy in humans. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(14), 4999–5007.

Hutcherson, C. A., Seppala, E. M., & Gross, J. J. (2015). The neural correlates of social connection. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 15(1), 1–14.CrossRef

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living. New York: Dell Publishing.

Kim, H. S., Sherman, D. K., Sasaki, J. Y., Xu, J., Chu, T. Q., Ryu, C., et al. (2010). Culture, distress, and oxytocin receptor polymorphism (OXTR) interact to influence emotional support seeking. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 107(36), 15717–15721.CrossRef

Klimecki, O. M., Leiberg, S., Ricard, M., & Singer, T. (2014). Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(6), 873–879.PubMedCrossRef

Kosfeld, M., Heinrichs, M., Zak, P. J., Fischbacher, U., & Fehr, E. (2005). Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature, 435(7042), 673–676.PubMedCrossRef

Labuschagne, I., Phan, K. L., Wood, A., Angstadt, M., Chua, P., Heinrichs, M., et al. (2012). Medial frontal hyperactivity to sad faces in generalized social anxiety disorder and modulation by oxytocin. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 15(7), 883–896.PubMedCrossRef

Lancaster, K., Carter, C. S., Pournajafi-Nazarloo, H., Karaoli, T., Lillard, T. S., Jack, A., et al. (2015). Plasma oxytocin explains individual differences in neural substrates of social perception. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, 132.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Leary, M. R., Tate, E. B., Adams, C. E., Allen, A. B., & Hancock, J. (2007). Self-compassion and reactions to unpleasant self-relevant events: the implications of treating oneself kindly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(5), 887–904.PubMedCrossRef

Leung, M. K., Chan, C. C. H., Yin, J., Lee, C. F., So, K. F., & Lee, T. M. C. (2013). Increased gray matter volume in the right angular and posterior parahippocampal gyri in loving-kindness meditators. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 8(1), 34–39.PubMedCrossRef

Longe, O., Maratos, F. A., Gilbert, P., Evans, G., Volker, F., Rockliff, H., & Rippon, G. (2010). Having a word with yourself: neural correlates of self-criticism and self-reassurance. Neuroimage, 49(2), 1849–1856.PubMedCrossRef

Luo, S., Li, B., Ma, Y., Zhang, W., Rao, Y., & Han, S. (2015a). Oxytocin receptor gene and racial ingroup bias in empathy-related brain activity. Neuroimage, 110, 22–31.PubMedCrossRef

Luo, S., Ma, Y., Liu, Y., Li, B., Wang, C., Shi, Z., et al. (2015b). Interaction between oxytocin receptor polymorphism and interdependent culture values on human empathy. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 10(9), 1273–1281.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Luo, S., Zhong, S., Zhu, Y., Wang, C., Yang, J., Gu, L., et al. (2018). Brain structural and functional substrates of personal distress in empathy. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12, 99.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

MacBeth, A., & Gumley, A. (2012). Exploring compassion: a meta-analysis of the association between self-compassion and psychopathology. Clinical Psychology Review, 32(6), 545–552.PubMedCrossRef

Neff, K. (2003a). Self-compassion: an alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85–101.CrossRef

Neff, K. (2003b). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250.CrossRef

Neff, K., & Dahm, K. A. (2015). Handbook of mindfulness and self-regulation. New York: Springer.

Neff, K., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(1), 28–44.PubMedCrossRef

Neff, K., Pisitsungkagarn, K., & Hsieh, Y. P. (2008). Self-compassion and self-construal in the United States, Thailand, and Taiwan. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 39(3), 267–285.CrossRef

Neff, K., & Pommier, E. (2013). The relationship between self-compassion and other-focused concern among college undergraduates, community adults, and practicing meditators. Self and Identity, 12(2), 160–176.CrossRef

Ochsner, K. N., Zaki, J., Hanelin, J., Ludlow, D. H., Knierim, K., Ramachandran, T., et al. (2008). Your pain or mine? Common and distinct neural systems supporting the perception of pain in self and other. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 3(2), 144–160.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Panksepp, J. (2011). Cross-species affective neuroscience decoding of the primal affective experiences of humans and related animals. PLoS One, 6(9), e21236.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Peters, M. L., Smeets, E., Feijge, M., van Breukelen, G., Andersson, G., Buhrman, M., & Linton, S. J. (2017). Happy despite pain: a randomized controlled trial of an 8-week internet-delivered positive psychology intervention for enhancing well-being in patients with chronic pain. Clinical Journal of Pain, 33(11), 962–975.PubMedCrossRef

Power, J. D., Cohen, A. L., Nelson, S. M., Wig, G. S., Barnes, K. A., Church, J. A., et al. (2011). Functional network organization of the human brain. Neuron, 72(4), 665–678.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Power, J. D., Schlaggar, B. L., Lessov-Schlaggar, C. N., & Petersen, S. E. (2013). Evidence for hubs in human functional brain networks. Neuron, 79(4), 798–813.PubMedCrossRef

Raes, F., Pommier, E., Neff, K., & Van Gucht, D. (2011). Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the self-compassion scale. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 18(3), 250–255.CrossRef

Rodrigues, S. M., Saslow, L. R., Garcia, N., John, O. P., & Keltner, D. (2009). Oxytocin receptor genetic variation relates to empathy and stress reactivity in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 106(50), 21437–21441.CrossRef

Rubinov, M., & Sporns, O. (2010). Complex network measures of brain connectivity: uses and interpretations. Neuroimage, 52(3), 1059–1069.PubMedCrossRef

Sbarra, D. A., Smith, H. L., & Mehl, M. R. (2012). When leaving your ex, love yourself: observational ratings of self-compassion predict the course of emotional recovery following marital separation. Psychological Science, 23(3), 261–269.PubMedCrossRef

Singer, T., Seymour, B., O'doherty, J., Kaube, H., Dolan, R. J., & Frith, C. D. (2004). Empathy for pain involves the affective but not sensory components of pain. Science, 303(5661), 1157–1162.PubMedCrossRef

Smeets, E., Neff, K., Alberts, H., & Peters, M. (2014). Meeting suffering with kindness: effects of a brief self-compassion intervention for female college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(9), 794–807.PubMedCrossRef

Stice, E., Yokum, S., Burger, K., Epstein, L., & Smolen, A. (2012). Multilocus genetic composite reflecting dopamine signaling capacity predicts reward circuitry responsivity. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(29), 10093–10100.PubMedCrossRef

Taren, A. A., Gianaros, P. J., Greco, C. M., Lindsay, E. K., Fairgrieve, A., Brown, K. W., et al. (2017). Mindfulness meditation training and executive control network resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial. Psychosomatic Medicien, 79(6), 674–683.CrossRef

Teper, R., Segal, Z. V., & Inzlicht, M. (2013). Inside the mindful mind: how mindfulness enhances emotion regulation through improvements in executive control. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22(6), 449–454.CrossRef

Tops, M., Van Peer, J. M., Korf, J., Wijers, A. A., & Tucker, D. M. (2007). Anxiety, cortisol, and attachment predict plasma oxytocin. Psychophysiology, 44(3), 444–449.PubMedCrossRef

Tost, H., Kolachana, B., Hakimi, S., Lemaitre, H., Verchinski, B. A., Mattay, V. S., et al. (2010). A common allele in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) impacts prosocial temperament and human hypothalamic-limbic structure and function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 107(31), 13936–13941.CrossRef

Tzourio-Mazoyer, N., Landeau, B., Papathanassiou, D., Crivello, F., Etard, O., Delcroix, N., et al. (2002). Automated anatomical labeling of activations in SPM using a macroscopic anatomical parcellation of the MNI MRI single-subject brain. Neuroimage, 15(1), 273–289.PubMedCrossRef

Uvnäs-Moberg, K., Handlin, L., & Petersson, M. (2015). Self-soothing behaviors with particular reference to oxytocin release induced by non-noxious sensory stimulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1529.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Van Dam, N. T., Sheppard, S. C., Forsyth, J. P., & Earleywine, M. (2011). Self-compassion is a better predictor than mindfulness of symptom severity and quality of life in mixed anxiety and depression. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(1), 123–130.PubMedCrossRef

van den Heuvel, M. P., & Hulshoff Pol, H. E. (2010). Exploring the brain network: a review on resting-state fMRI functional connectivity. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 20(8), 519–534.PubMedCrossRef

Van Overwalle, F. (2009). Social cognition and the brain: a meta-analysis. Human Brain Mapping, 30(3), 829–858.PubMedCrossRef

Wang, J., Wang, X., Xia, M., Liao, X., Evans, A., & He, Y. (2015). GRETNA: a graph theoretical network analysis toolbox for imaging connectomics. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, 386.PubMedPubMedCentral

Wang, X., Xu, M., Song, Y., Li, X., Zhen, Z., Yang, Z., & Liu, J. (2014). The network property of the thalamus in the default mode network is correlated with trait mindfulness. Neuroscience, 278, 291–301.PubMedCrossRef

Watanabe, T., Abe, O., Kuwabara, H., Yahata, N., Takano, Y., Iwashiro, N., et al. (2014). Mitigation of sociocommunicational deficits of autism through oxytocin-induced recovery of medial prefrontal activity a randomized trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(2), 166–175.PubMedCrossRef

Weng, H. Y., Fox, A. S., Shackman, A. J., Stodola, D. E., Caldwell, J. Z. K., Olson, M. C., et al. (2013). Compassion training alters altruism and neural responses to suffering. Psychological Science, 24(7), 1171–1180.PubMedCrossRef

Wu, N., & Su, Y. J. (2015). Oxytocin receptor gene relates to theory of mind and prosocial behavior in children. Journal of Cognition and Development, 16(2), 302–313.CrossRef

Yan, C., & Zang, Y. (2010). DPARSF: A MATLAB toolbox for “pipeline” data analysis of resting-state fMRI. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 4, 13.

Zessin, U., Dickhauser, O., & Garbade, S. (2015). The relationship between self-compassion and well-being: a meta-analysis. Applied Psychology-Health and Well Being, 7(3), 340–364.PubMedCrossRef

Zhao, X., Lynch, J. G., & Chen, Q. (2010). Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: myths and truths about mediation analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(2), 197–206.CrossRef

Titel: Neurogenetic Mechanisms of Self-Compassionate Mindfulness: the Role of Oxytocin-Receptor Genes
Auteurs: Yuyin Wang
Linlin Fan
Yiyi Zhu
Junkai Yang
Cong Wang
Li Gu
Shengqi Zhong
Yingyu Huang
Xiaolin Xie
Hui Zhou
Siyang Luo
Xiang Wu
Publicatiedatum: 23-03-2019
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Mindfulness / Uitgave 9/2019
Print ISSN: 1868-8527
Elektronisch ISSN: 1868-8535
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01141-7

Andere artikelen Uitgave 9/2019

Effects of Mindfulness on Negative Affect, Body Dissatisfaction, and Disordered Eating Urges

ORIGINAL PAPER

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual in Adults with ADHD: a Trial-Based Economic Evaluation

Open Access
ORIGINAL PAPER

Validation of a Scale for Assessing Social Validity in Mindfulness-Based Educational Programs

ORIGINAL PAPER

Insurance-Reimbursable Mindfulness for Safety-Net Primary Care Patients: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

ORIGINAL PAPER

Mindfulness Training Offered In-person and in a Virtual World—Weekly Self-reports of Stress, Energy, Pain, and Sleepiness among US Military Active Duty and Veteran Personnel

ORIGINAL PAPER

Unshakeable Well-Being: Is the Buddhist Concept of Enlightenment a Meaningful Possibility in the Current Age

MINDFULNESS IN PRACTICE