AVPR1A andOXTR polymorphisms are associated with sexual and reproductive behavioral phenotypes in humans

Abstract

Distinct life history patterns have been observed and characterized in humans and appear to have a heritable component. The specific genetic variation responsible for the heritability is unknown. This study tested two plausible candidate genes for association with human life history characteristics using a sample of Caucasian men and women taken from a large Australian community survey. Associations were found between two polymorphisms within the AVPR1A gene and age of first sexual intercourse in men and women. An association was also found between a polymorphism in the OXTR gene with the tendency to parent children at an earlier age in females. This study is the first to report associations..