Genetic Factors Tied to Violent Behaviors

Variants in two genes were significantly more common in Finnish criminals convicted of multiple violent crimes compared with the general population, researchers said. Statistical analysis indicated that 5% to 10% of all severe violent crime in Finland could be attributed to these variants, affecting the genes for monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and CDH13, a neuronal membrane adhesion molecule,. However many individuals carrying the risk alleles identified in the study have no history of violence, and many violent individuals don't carry them. They noted that the link between violent behavior and loss of function in MAOA activity made biobehavioral sense -- the enzyme is involved in dopamine metabolism, and diminished activity has been linked to aggressive behavior in rodents and in humans. The involvement of CDH13, a mediator of neuronal migration and proliferation, is more of a mystery, the researchers acknowledged. Earlier studies have suggested a role in neural connectivity such that sequence alterations could create a basis for impaired impulse control, Tiihonen and colleagues suggested. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/GeneralPsychiatry/48276?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2014-10-29&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=ST&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&email=amydugan2%40gmail.com&mu_id=5883165&utm_term=Daily