Evaluation of the effect of oxytocin on impulsivity and risky decision making with regard to the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR)

Background and Aim : Impulsivity is considered as a hasty act or imprecise decision. Oxytocin reduces anxiety and conditioned fear. However, its effects, as well as its receptor variants, have not been investigated for impulsivity and risky decision making. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of oxytocin on impulsivity and risky decision making in healthy young men with regard to different variants of the oxytocin receptor gene.Methods : In this cross-sectional interventional study, 177 healthy young men aged between 20-36 years old were selected randomly and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: oxytocin, placebo, and control. All participants were evaluated by the go/no go test and the Iowa gambling task and 5 ml of blood were received from each of them, and using the PCR, a region of the oxytocin receptor gene was replicated. Finally, by examining single-nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotype analysis, two polymorphisms were finally identified as Tag SNPs and their association with the performance of individuals in each of the two tests was evaluated.Results : The oxytocin group and the participants with GG genotype in the rs2254298 variant of the oxytocin receptor genes had a significantly lower commission error and a greater inhibition in the go/no go test compared to other participants. It was also found that oxytocin recipients and those with TT genotypes in the rs2254295 variant of the oxytocin receptor genes have higher raw and net scores as well as more beneficial selections in the Iowa gambling test than others.Conclusion : The use of oxytocin can be accompanied by a reduction in impulsivity and risky decision making. On the other hand, various different variants of the oxytocin receptor gene can modulate the effect of oxytocin.

کلیدواژه ها:

oxytocin ، oxytocin receptor gene ، impulsivity ، risky decision making