Gene–environment interaction of monoamine oxidase A in relation to antisocial behaviour: current and future directions

Abstract

Since the pioneering finding of Caspi and co-workers in 2002 that exposure to childhood maltreatment predicted later antisocial behaviour (ASB) in male carriers of the low-activity MAOA-uVNTR allele, frequent replication studies have been published. Two meta-analyses, one in 2006 and the other in 2014, confirmed the original findings by Caspi and co-workers. In the present paper, we review the literature, note some methodological aspects of candidate gene–environment interaction (cG×E) studies and suggest some future directions. Our conclusions are as follows. (1) The direction of the effect in a cG×E model may differ according to the positive and negative environmental background of the population. (2) There is a predictor-intersection problem such that when measuring one type of maltreatment in a person, other kinds of maltreatment often co-occur. Other forms of abuse are implicitly considered in statistical models; therefore, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the effects of timing and the severity of different forms of stressful life events in relation to ASB. (3) There is also an outcome-intersection problem because of the major intersection of ASB and other forms of mental health problems. It is likely that the G×E with MAOA is related to a common unmeasured factor. (4) For the G×E model, in which the effect of the gene on the outcome variable is dependent on other predictor variables, theoretically, hypothesis-driven statistical modelling is needed.

Emotional stability is associated with the MAOA promoter uVNTR polymorphism in women

“…Therefore, these results would agree with Byrd et al (2019) who found that high MAO-A activity genotype would be related to aggressive behaviors and other disorders through an indirect pathway with emotional reactivity as an intermediary instead of through a direct pathway. Thus, we can speculate that neuroticism regulated by MAOA might be a common factor between the different phenotypes observed in women who had the high MAO-A activity genotype as proposed by Nilsson et al (2018).…”

“…MAOA has been related to other mental health problems in addition to antisocial behaviors. Recent studies have suggested that could exist a common factor for all these phenotypes, and that could be emotion regulation (Nilsson, Åslund, Comasco, & Oreland, ). Then, women with high MAO‐A activity genotype who had experienced childhood maltreatment would present higher levels of emotional reactivity that could predict some pathologies, with the reverse pattern in males.…”

“…MAOA has been related to other mental health problems in addition to antisocial behaviors. Recent studies have suggested that could exist a common factor for all these phenotypes, and that could be emotion regulation (Nilsson, Åslund, Comasco, & Oreland, 2018).…”

Single-Dose of Testosterone and the MAOA VNTR Polymorphism Influence Emotional and Behavioral Responses in Men During a Non-social Frustration Task

“…Moreover, the current study only includes young healthy young males with no known history of traumatic experiences, which are often discussed in the context of MAOA VNTR effects. Previous findings suggest that environmental adversities might influence the effect of the MAOA VNTR on aggression (Byrd and Manuck, 2014;Nilsson et al, 2018). Future studies might therefore additionally assess stressful life-events.…”

Psychopathy

“…[24] ‹nsan agresif davranıının ilk G¥E (genetik ¥ çevre) çalıması 2002 yılında [25] bildirilmi ve çocuklukta kötü muameleye maruz kalmanın MAOA-L alelinin erkek taıyıcılarında daha sonra antisosyal davranıa (ASB) yol açtı¤ı gösterilmitir. [26] Mevcut çalıma için önemli olan MAO-A'nın amigdala ve OFC morfolojisini etkileyebilece¤idir. Monoamin oksidaz A geni düük (MAOA-L) veya yüksek (MAOA-H) transkripsiyon verimi ile ilikili varyantlar veren 30 baz çifti de¤iken nükleotid tandem tekrar (VNTR) polimorfizmi içerir.…”