Resting heart rate and the development of antisocial behavior from age 9 to 14: Genetic and environmental influences

Abstract

The genetic and environmental basis of a well-replicated association between antisocial behavior (ASB) and resting heart rate was investigated in a longitudinal twin study, based on two measurements between the ages of 9 and 14 years. ASB was defined as a broad continuum of externalizing behavior problems, assessed at each occasion through a composite measure based on parent ratings of trait aggression, delinquent behaviors, and psychopathic traits in their children. Parent ratings of ASB significantly decreased across age from childhood to early adolescence, although latent growth models indicated significant variation and twin similarity in the growth patterns, which were explained almost entirely by genetic influences. Resting heart rate at age 9–10 years old was inversely related to levels of ASB but not change patterns of ASB across age or occasions. Biometrical analyses indicated significant genetic influences on heart rate during childhood, as well as ASB throughout development from age 9 to 14. Both level and slope variation were significantly influenced by genetic factors. Of importance, the low resting heart rate and ASB association was significantly and entirely explained by their genetic covariation, although the heritable component of heart rate explained only a small portion (1–4%) of the substantial genetic variance in ASB. Although the effect size is small, children with low resting heart rate appear to be genetically predisposed toward externalizing behavior problems as early as age 9 years old.

The Need to Incorporate Autonomic Arousal in Developmental and Life-Course Research and Theories

“…1. Although some empirical support for the proposed model has been documented [38], one study found that the relationship between resting heart rate and antisocial behavior in children was almost entirely explained by genetic influences [3]. With the dearth of replicated studies, additional research on autonomic arousal can reveal whether findings that challenge the model exist and thus, shed light on this important issue raised in DLC criminology.…”

“…They constitute a valid method to determine arousal as physiological responses are universal, sensitive, and objective [89]. They have been used in prospective studies on criminal and antisocial outcomes [3,63,77,90,116,151]. Psychophysiology is particularly useful in studying biological influences as specific measures have been identified.…”

“…A meta-analysis has also documented resting heart rate to be associated with both reactive and proactive aggression [109], although a recent study found that the association between resting heart rate and aggression was specific to proactive aggression after controlling for reactive aggression [117]. Moreover, there is some evidence that low heart rate may be associated particularly with non-psychopathic forms of antisocial behavior (e.g., [3,110,117]). …”

Using basic neurobiological measures in criminological research

“…One possible mechanism is a reduced functioning of the right hemisphere of the brain (Baker et al 2009;Raine 2002a). The right hemisphere controls autonomic functions, such as respiration and heart rate.…”

Gene–Environment Interactions in the Etiology of Human Violence

“…The success of this specific high resolution approach is illustrated by the meta-analytic finding of robust but opposite COMT effects on brain activation in emotional and executive tasks obtained in functional neuroimaging studies (Mier et al 2010). Most of the less specific but reliable markers of impaired brain and autonomic function in violence such as reduced neural activity to targets (amplitudes of the P300 component), reduced skin conductance, and heart rate variability still remain to be examined for G 9 E. Initial findings suggest that the endophenotype approach may be important to dissect genetic pathways to aggression, as genetic influences on psychophysiological (cardiac) function appeared to mediate the effects on aggression in a longitudinal twin study (Baker et al 2009). …”