Oxytocin Receptor Gene, Childhood Maltreatment and Borderline Personality Disorder among Male Inmates in China

Abstract

Background Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is caused by a variety of biological and environmental factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that childhood maltreatment is a risk environmental factor in the development of BPD, but research on the genetic pathology of BPD is still in its early stages, and very little is known about the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene. The purpose of this study is to further explore the interaction between OXTR gene polymorphism and childhood maltreatment in BPD. Methods A total of 1804 prison inmates and 196 normal controls participated in this study. Childhood maltreatment was measured by a self-reported questionnaire, as was BPD. Venous blood was collected for the genotype test. Results Analyses revealed that the BP group had higher rs53576 AA genotype frequency and rs237987 AA genotype frequency than the non-BP group. Childhood maltreatment and its dimension could positively predict BPD risk. Among the prison samples, rs53576 GG genotype carriers had higher BPD scores at higher levels of emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse and lower BPD scores at lower levels of physical abuse and sexual abuse. Conclusions The finding suggests that the interaction between childhood maltreatment and OXTR gene variations is an important mechanism for the development of BPD. The moderating role of the OXTR gene provides evidence for gene plasticity.