Aggressive behavior, related conduct problems, and variation in genes affecting dopamine turnover

Abstract

A number of dopamine-related genes have been implicated in the etiology of violent behavior and conduct problems. Of these genes, the ones that code for the enzymes that influence the turnover of dopamine (DA) have received the most attention. In this study, we investigated 12 genetic polymorphisms in four genes involved with DA functioning (COMT, MAOA and MAOB, and DbH) in 179 incarcerated male Russian adolescents and two groups of matched controls: boys without criminal records referred to by their teachers as (a) ''troubled-behavior-free'' boys, n 5 182; and (b) ''troubled-behavior'' boys, n 5 60. The participants were classified as (1) being incarcerated or not, (2) having the DSM-IV diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD) or not, and (3) having committed violent or nonviolent crimes (for the incarcerated individuals only). The findings indicate that, although no single genetic variant in any of the four genes differentiated individuals in the investigated groups, various linear combinations (i.e., haplotypes) and nonlinear combinations (i.e., interactions between variants within and across genes) of genetic variants resulted in informative and robust classifications for two of the three groupings. These combinations of genetic variants differentiated individuals in incarceration vs. nonincarcerated and CD vs. no-CD groups; no informative combinations were established consistently for the grouping by crime within the incarcerated individuals. This study underscores the importance of considering multiple rather than single markers within candidate genes and their additive and interactive combinations, both with themselves and with nongenetic indicators, while attempting to understand the genetic background of such complex behaviors as serious conduct problems. Aggr. Behav. 36:158-176, 2010.

Molecular genetic underpinnings of self-control: 5-HTTLPR and self-control in a sample of inmates

“…Analyses revealed a similar pattern of results (and are available upon request). 2 The failure to genotype rate in the current study is consistent with other work based on incarcerated samples (see Grigorenko et al, 2010). 3 A recent publication by Keller (2014) suggests that interaction models should be analyzed with a fully saturated model including all potential interaction terms to avoid spurious interaction term significance.…”

Aggression, Digit Ratio, and Variation in the Androgen Receptor, Serotonin Transporter, and Dopamine D4 Receptor Genes in African Foragers: The Hadza

“…(Chen et al 2005;Maluchenko et al 2007;Moffitt et al 2008;Grigorenko et al 2010). Most crosscultural samples are in fact cross-national ones (Manning et al 2000;Manning and Fink 2008).…”

Hypothesizing Molecular Genetics of the Holocaust: Were Dopaminergic Genes Involved or Brain Wash?

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