Personality Traits and Platelet Monoamine Oxidase Activity in a Swedish Male Criminal Population

Abstract

Background: A Swedish male criminal population was grouped into personality disorder subgroups and investigated with regard to personality traits and platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity. The main aim of the study was to examine the possibility of a risk factor combination by having low platelet MAO activity as well as belonging to a certain diagnostic DSM-IV axis I (drug abuse in the present series) and/or II subgroup. Methods: Personality disorders were grouped into clusters according to the cluster system used in DSM-IV axis II. The prisoners were grouped into five subgroups and each subject completed the Karolinska Scales of Personality self-report questionnaire. The comparison group for the personality data comprised 51 non-criminal males from a longitudinal Swedish project. Platelet MAO activity was assessed for the criminals as well as for a control group including 60 non-criminal healthy male Caucasians. For testing the existence of syndromes, a configuration frequency analysis (CFA) was used. Results: The results showed low scores on the socialisation and high scores on the sensation seeking-related traits impulsiveness and monotony avoidance, and the somatic anxiety-related muscular tension in the criminals with any DSM-IV mental disorder, however most markedly in cluster AB and cluster B subjects. In addition, cluster AB subjects had significantly lower platelet MAO activity than controls. Two significant ‘types’ were found among the criminals: one was characterised by low platelet MAO activity, cluster B personality diagnosis as well as drug abuse disorder diagnosis; and the other by a pattern of normal platelet MAO activity, no cluster B personality disorder and no drug abuse disorder diagnosis. Conclusion: The aggregation of certain risk factors in the same individual has been shown to contribute to the development of criminal behaviour.

Cluster B Personality Disorders are Associated with Allelic Variation of Monoamine Oxidase A Activity

“…Nevertheless, our findings correspond to a recent Swedish study, in which a male criminal population Cluster A and B personality disorder had significantly lower platelet MAO activity than controls (Longato-Stadler et al, 2002). Although the monoamine metabolism in platelets primarily is due to MAOB activity, our results confirm the sensitivity of Structured Clinical Interview of DSM-IV personality disorders, in detecting hypothesis-driven genetic influences in personality disorders and behavioral changes.…”

Adaptive and maladaptive impulsivity, platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and risk-admitting in different types of risky drivers

“…af Klinteberg et al (1992), observing higher levels of self-reported impulsivity in pilots, showed that they, at the same time, did not present deviances in neuropsychological tests of disinhibition or platelet MAO activity. In another study, Longato-Stadler et al (2002) presented that criminal offenders with accompanying personality disorder and problems with drug abuse had simultaneously lower platelet MAO activity, while other criminal offenders had MAO activity similar to controls. All available evidence together suggest that platelet MAO activity is associated with impulsivity in a sub-population of people with drug problems.…”

“…When accounting for smoking, several studies failed to confirm the relationship between impulsive behaviour and lower platelet MAO activity (Ward et al 1987;Kiive et al 2002). Many studies declaring higher impulsivity in subjects with low MAO activity are found in subjects abusing drugs or alcohol (Longato-Stadler et al 2002;Oreland 2004). Even primate studies link low platelet MAO activity with excessive alcohol consumption and co-occurring low social dominance (Fahlke et al 2002).…”

The lack of association between monoamine oxidase (MAO) intron 13 polymorphism and platelet MAO-B activity among men

“…Platelet MAO-B activity is reported to be associated with personality traits such as impulsiveness, extroversion, sensation seeking, neuroticism, or novelty seeking (Kozaric-Kovacic et al, 2000;Oreland et al, 2002;Oreland, 2004), impulse and affect dysregulation (Verkes et al, 1998), and might represent a biological marker for the personality traits that increase the vulnerability for drug-abuse, social maladaptation or dysinhibitory psychopathology Oreland, 2004;Longato-Stadler et al, 2002). The mechanism controlling the enzyme activity is still not clear, and our (present study) and other data (Johnstone et al, 2002) do not support the hypothesis that MAO-B polymorphism with a single base change (A or G) on the intron 13, is a functional one, i.e.…”