Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis

Abstract The present research uncovers the shared genetic underpinnings of fairness norm adaptation capability, its neural correlates, and long‐term mental health outcomes. One hundred and eighty‐six twins are recruited and played as responders in the Ultimatum Game (UG) while undergoing fMRI scanni...

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Main Authors: Yuening Jin, Dang Zheng, Ruolei Gu, Qingchen Fan, Martin Dietz, Changshuo Wang, Xinying Li, Jie Chen, Yuanyuan Hu, Yuan Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Advanced Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202411070
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author Yuening Jin
Dang Zheng
Ruolei Gu
Qingchen Fan
Martin Dietz
Changshuo Wang
Xinying Li
Jie Chen
Yuanyuan Hu
Yuan Zhou
author_facet Yuening Jin
Dang Zheng
Ruolei Gu
Qingchen Fan
Martin Dietz
Changshuo Wang
Xinying Li
Jie Chen
Yuanyuan Hu
Yuan Zhou
author_sort Yuening Jin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The present research uncovers the shared genetic underpinnings of fairness norm adaptation capability, its neural correlates, and long‐term mental health outcomes. One hundred and eighty‐six twins are recruited and played as responders in the Ultimatum Game (UG) while undergoing fMRI scanning in their early adulthood (Study‐1) and are measured on depressive symptoms eight years later (Study‐2). With computational modeling, the process of norm adaptation is differentiated from that of fairness valuation in UG. The two processes both have moderate levels of heritability. The anterior insula has a significant phenotypic correlation, whereas the Supplementary Motor Area/Medial Frontal Gyrus (SMA/mSFG) shows both a significant phenotypic correlation and a shared genetic influence with the learning rate, an index for norm adaptation. The dopaminergic DRD2 polymorphisms correlate with both the learning rate and the SMA/mSFG encoding of prediction error, constituting of their common genetic basis. Regional gene expression analysis reveals the high expression of dopamine‐related genes in the SMA/mSFG. Moreover, the learning rate can predict depressive symptom severity eight years later, with the DRD2 polymorphisms constituting their shared genetic basis. This suggests that heritability is a non‐negligible driving force behind norm adaptation, which facilitates the learning of social norms in changing environments and preserves long‐term mental health.
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spelling doaj-art-2ddcc4ce141b4fcaa2643d3b4df9a8c92025-08-20T03:24:44ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-03-01129n/an/a10.1002/advs.202411070Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural BasisYuening Jin0Dang Zheng1Ruolei Gu2Qingchen Fan3Martin Dietz4Changshuo Wang5Xinying Li6Jie Chen7Yuanyuan Hu8Yuan Zhou9CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaCenter of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience Institute of Clinical Medicine Aarhus University Universitetsbyen 3 Aarhus 8000 DenmarkCAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaDepartment of Psychology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 ChinaDepartment of Psychology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Institute of Psychology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 ChinaAbstract The present research uncovers the shared genetic underpinnings of fairness norm adaptation capability, its neural correlates, and long‐term mental health outcomes. One hundred and eighty‐six twins are recruited and played as responders in the Ultimatum Game (UG) while undergoing fMRI scanning in their early adulthood (Study‐1) and are measured on depressive symptoms eight years later (Study‐2). With computational modeling, the process of norm adaptation is differentiated from that of fairness valuation in UG. The two processes both have moderate levels of heritability. The anterior insula has a significant phenotypic correlation, whereas the Supplementary Motor Area/Medial Frontal Gyrus (SMA/mSFG) shows both a significant phenotypic correlation and a shared genetic influence with the learning rate, an index for norm adaptation. The dopaminergic DRD2 polymorphisms correlate with both the learning rate and the SMA/mSFG encoding of prediction error, constituting of their common genetic basis. Regional gene expression analysis reveals the high expression of dopamine‐related genes in the SMA/mSFG. Moreover, the learning rate can predict depressive symptom severity eight years later, with the DRD2 polymorphisms constituting their shared genetic basis. This suggests that heritability is a non‐negligible driving force behind norm adaptation, which facilitates the learning of social norms in changing environments and preserves long‐term mental health.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202411070anterior insulafairness norm adaptationgeneticsprediction error encodingsupplementary motor areatwin studies
spellingShingle Yuening Jin
Dang Zheng
Ruolei Gu
Qingchen Fan
Martin Dietz
Changshuo Wang
Xinying Li
Jie Chen
Yuanyuan Hu
Yuan Zhou
Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis
Advanced Science
anterior insula
fairness norm adaptation
genetics
prediction error encoding
supplementary motor area
twin studies
title Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis
title_full Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis
title_fullStr Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis
title_full_unstemmed Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis
title_short Substantial Heritability Underlies Fairness Norm Adaptation Capability and its Neural Basis
title_sort substantial heritability underlies fairness norm adaptation capability and its neural basis
topic anterior insula
fairness norm adaptation
genetics
prediction error encoding
supplementary motor area
twin studies
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202411070
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