Scientists at Fukui University in Japan have found that the modification of the oxytocin gene (OXT) affects not only the structure of the human brain and the development of certain personality traits, but also the empathy of mothers towards their children. An article by the researchers, which reveals the main genetic factor influencing parental abuse, was published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Researchers examined the relationship between methylation (the attachment of methyl groups to DNA) of the OHT gene, brain structure, and empathy. They analyzed saliva samples from 57 mothers caring for at least one child and determined methylation levels. They also examined the size of certain areas of the subjects’ brains using voxel MRI morphometry. In addition, mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire to determine the level of cognitive and affective empathy.
It is noted that cognitive empathy is expressed in understanding the emotions of another person on an intellectual level, which allows you to understand how he will react to any situation. Scientists explain that this is the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s place.” With affective empathy, a person instinctively senses someone’s emotion by observing facial expressions or other indicators of mood. Both types of empathy strongly influence how parents behave towards their children, which in turn affects the psychological development of the child.
As a result, it turned out that a high level of HCT methylation contributes to a harsh and tough education, and also negatively correlates with the volume of gray matter in the right inferior temporal gyrus, which is associated with personal distress or emotional burnout.