The following is a summary of “OXT rs6133010 variant modulates susceptibility to psychiatric symptoms during withdrawal in patients with alcohol dependence,” published in the February 2025 issue of BMC Psychiatry by Shen et al.
Alcohol dependence (AD) increases vulnerability to severe withdrawal symptoms, which often result in relapse. Genetic factors influencing these symptoms remain underexplored.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the link between AD, OXT rs6133010, and withdrawal symptoms. The study aimed to inform personalized treatment strategies.
They conducted a cross-sectional study with 389 patients with AD and 184 controls, genotyped for OXT rs6133010. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed during early withdrawal, with propensity score matching for age and education.
The results showed a significant AD x OXT rs6133010 interaction on hostility and anxiety. OXT rs6133010 had a regulatory effect only in patients with AD, with AA homozygotes showing protection against hostility and anxiety. Path analysis revealed the underlying mechanism of OXT symptom regulation.
Investigators found that OXT rs6133010 modulates psychiatric symptoms in AD, with the G allele increasing vulnerability to hostility and anxiety. OXT may regulate anxiety through hostility modulation rather than direct anxiolytic effects.
Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-025-06529-5
