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Scientists at Karolinska Institutet(1) have found a link between a specific gene(2) and the way men bond to(3) their partners. The results, which are presented in the scientific journal PNAS(4), can lead to a better understanding of such problems as autism(5) and social phobia(6).

"There are, of course, many reasons why a person might have relationship(7) problems, but this is the first time that a specific gene variant(8) has been associated with(9) how men bond to their partners," says Hasse Walum, postgraduate student(10) at the Department of Medical Epidemiology(11) and Biostatistics(12).

He stresses, however, that the effect of this genetic variation(13) is relatively(14) modest(15), and it cannot be used to predict(16) with any real accuracy(17) how someone will behave in a future relationship.

Hasse Walum and his colleagues(18) made use of data from The Twin and Offspring(19) Study in Sweden, which includes over 550 twins and their partners or spouses(20). The gene under study codes for(21) one of the receptors(22) for vasopressin(23), a hormone(24) found in the brains(25) of most mammals(26). The team found that men who carry one or two copies of a variant of this gene “allele 334(27)” often behave differently in relationships than men who lack this gene variant.

The incidence(28) of allele 334 was statistically(29) linked to(30) how strong a bond a man felt he had with his partner. Men who had two copies of allele 334 were also twice as likely to have had a marital(31) or relational(32) crisis in the past year than those who lacked the gene variant. There was also a correlation(33) between the men’s gene variant and what their respective(34) partners thought about their relationship.