Monoamine Oxidase A in Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

Purpose of ReviewVariation in the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) gene and MAO-A enzyme levels have been linked to antisocial behavior and aggression in clinical and non-clinical populations. Here, we provide an overview of the genetic, epigenetic, and neuroimaging research that has examined MAO-A structure and function in antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD).Recent FindingsThe low-activity MAO-A variable nucleotide tandem repeat genetic polymorphism has shown a robust association with large samples of violent and seriously violent offenders, many of whom had ASPD. A recent positron emission tomography (PET) study of ASPD similarly revealed low MAO-A density in brain regions thought to contribute to the psychopathology of the condition. By contrast, PET has also demonstrated that brain MAO-A levels are increased in BPD and that they relate to symptoms of low mood and suicidality.SummaryCandidate gene studies have produced the most compelling evidence connecting MAO-A genetic variants to both ASPD and BPD. Still, conflicting results abound in the literature, making it highly unlikely that ASPD or BPD is related to a specific MAO-A genetic variant. Future research should strive to examine how MAO-A genotypes interact with broad-spectrum environmental influences to produce brain endophenotypes that may ultimately become tractable targets for novel treatment strategies.

A Systematic Literature Review of Neuroimaging of Psychopathic Traits

“…SLC6A4 manifests in two forms, and carriers of the short allele are predisposed to negative mental health aspects including anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and suicide (181), whereas homozygosity of the long allele is associated with emotional detachment and psychopathic traits (182). Another candidate is the X-linked monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene and its high (MAOA-H) and low activity alleles (MAOA-L) (183). Individuals with absent or low acting MAOA are more prone to aggressive and impulsive behavior and exhibit higher psychopathic traits (184).…”

Are Owls and Larks Different When it Comes to Aggression? Genetics, Neurobiology, and Behavior

“…However, counterintuitively, no correlation has been found between the amount of brain MAO-A and the VNTR genotypes (Fowler et al, 2007;Alia-Klein et al, 2008;Shumay et al, 2012). While most studies find that Maoa-L is associated with aggression, others have implicated Maoa-H (Kolla et al, 2014;Tiihonen et al, 2015;Veroude et al, 2016;Waltes et al, 2016;Kolla and Vinette, 2017). This effect likely depends on a variety of factors such as age, sex, concomitant conditions, and type of aggression.…”

“…It is possible that clock gene polymorphisms modulate genes that regulate aggression (Hood and Amir, 2018). Monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) catabolizes 5HT, norepinephrine (NE), and DA and is perhaps the most studied and robust candidate gene for aggressive behavior (Veroude et al, 2016;Waltes et al, 2016;Kolla and Vinette, 2017). Mao-a possesses a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) that results in less (Maoa-L) or more efficient transcription (Maoa-H).…”

Oxytocin Receptor Gene, Childhood Maltreatment and Borderline Personality Disorder among Male Inmates in China

“…Twin studies have suggested that 35%-67% of the variance in BPD risk is attributable to genetic factors [4][5]. Great efforts have been made to elucidate the possible genetic background of BPD, and the current polymorphism studies mainly focused on the serotonin receptor (HTR), tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and dopamine transporter (DAT) genes [6][7][8][9]. However, very few studies have investigated the relationship between oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and BPD.…”