Effect of Attachment Profile on Affective Symptoms of Beginning Cognitive Disorders: the Oxytocin Receptor Polymorphisms

Background: Behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPS) occur frequently in patients with dementia. These symptoms include affective (depression, anxiety) as well as psychotic features. In addition, many reviews have highlighted that a neurodegenerative disease can also be influenced by the subject’s personal attachment style (AS) and his social life quality. Recent studies have found that oxytocin receptor polymorphisms (OTrx) appears as a marker of emotional intensity and attachment that are paramount in social exchanges. Moreover, these studies have shown that OT likewise improves cognitive function, reducing amygdala responses to fear. Therefore, our approach is based on the following hypothesis: there are correlations between affective BPS, AS and OT receptor polymorphisms.

Methods: The present study assessed both OT blood levels and OT receptor polymorphisms (OTrx) in MCI patients. 9 MCI subjects and 8 controls are included. AS, BPS and depression were assessed using standardized scales. OTrx were determined using PCR.

Results: All MCI patients showed higher neuroticism, with an inhibited attachment style profile in one’s relationship to a parent. Insecure AS and OTrx were found in the two MCI patients presenting with the most severe affective BPS.

Conclusion: These results are in favour of our hypotheses (OTrx rs53576 and insecure AS are found in patients with severe BPS). Then, we found an inhibited attachment profile in patients with MCI, but it must be confirmed in the future.

Keywords: Oxytocin; Oxytocin receptor polymorphism; Mild cognitive impairment; Behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia; Attachment; Personality; Neuroticism; Social anxiety

Abbreviations:BPS: Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms; OT: Oxytocin; OTrx: Oxytocin Receptor Polymorphisms; CDR: Clinical Dementia Rating; AS: Attachment Style (profile); HAD: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; RAID: Rating Anxiety in Dementia; NPI: Neuro Psychiatric Inventory (assessment); MCI: Mild Cognitive Impairment; AMMI: Attachment Multiple Model Interview (AMMI)