Oxytocin Receptor Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Are Related to Maternal–Infant Co-Occupation and Infant Sensory Processing

Caregiver-infant reciprocity is related to infant/toddler development and health. However, there is a dearth of research on reciprocity variables like co-occupation and developmental variables such as infant/toddler sensory processing/preferences, and it is important to understand the biopsychosocial mediators of these relations. These include novel genetic markers like maternal oxytocin receptor single-nucleotide polymorphisms (OXTR SNPs). Therefore, this study examined whether mothers carrying risk alleles for three OXTR SNPs displayed different co-occupational behaviors with their infants and whether their infants/toddlers showed different sensory processing/preferences.