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Langmajerová M, Roubalová R, Šebela A, Vevera J. The effect of microbiome composition on impulsive and violent behavior: A systematic review. Behav Brain Res 2023; 440:114266. [PMID: 36549572 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The impact of the microbiome on brain function and behavior has recently become an important research topic. We searched for a link between the gut microbiome and impulsive and violent behavior. We focused on critical factors influencing the microbiome establishment that may affect human health later in life, i.e., delivery mode, early-life feeding, and early antibiotic exposure. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. We included original human studies examining adults and children with impulsive and/or violent behavior that assessed the gut microbiota composition of participants, delivery mode, infant feeding mode, or early antibiotic exposure. Bibliographic searches yielded 429 articles, and 21 met the eligibility criteria. Two studies reported data on patients with schizophrenia with violent behavior, while 19 studies reported data on patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results showed several bacterial taxa associated with ADHD symptomatology and with violent behavior in patients with schizophrenia. No association was found between delivery mode and impulsive behavior, nor did any articles relate infant feeding mode to violent human behavior. Those studies investigating early antibiotic exposure yielded ambiguous results. The heterogeneity of the data and the different methodologies of the included studies limited the external validity of the results. We found few studies that addressed the possible microbiome involvement in the pathophysiology of impulsive and violent behavior in humans. Our review revealed a gap in knowledge regarding links between the gut microbiome and these extreme behavioral patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Langmajerová
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic.
| | - Radka Roubalová
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Antonín Šebela
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruska 87, 100 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Vevera
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Pilsen, alej Svobody 80, 304 60 Pilsen, Czech Republic.
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2
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Kostrzewa-Nowak D, Nowak R, Kubaszewska J, Gos W. Interdisciplinary Approach to Biological and Health Implications in Selected Professional Competences. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020236. [PMID: 35203999 PMCID: PMC8870650 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Everyday life’s hygiene and professional realities, especially in economically developed countries, indicate the need to modify the standards of pro-health programs as well as modern hygiene and work ergonomics programs. These observations are based on the problem of premature death caused by civilization diseases. The biological mechanisms associated with financial risk susceptibility are well described, but there is little data explaining the biological basis of neuroaccounting. Therefore, the aim of the study was to present relationships between personality traits, cognitive competences and biological factors shaping behavioral conditions in a multidisciplinary aspect. This critical review paper is an attempt to compile biological and psychological factors influencing the development of professional competences, especially decent in the area of accounting and finance. We analyzed existing literature from wide range of scientific disciplines (including economics, psychology, behavioral genetics) to create background to pursuit multidisciplinary research models in the field of neuroaccounting. This would help in pointing the best genetically based behavioral profile of future successful financial and accounting specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Kostrzewa-Nowak
- Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 17C Narutowicza St., 70-240 Szczecin, Poland; (R.N.); (J.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Robert Nowak
- Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 17C Narutowicza St., 70-240 Szczecin, Poland; (R.N.); (J.K.)
| | - Joanna Kubaszewska
- Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 17C Narutowicza St., 70-240 Szczecin, Poland; (R.N.); (J.K.)
| | - Waldemar Gos
- Institute of Economy and Finance, University of Szczecin, 64 Mickiewicza St., 71-101 Szczecin, Poland;
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3
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Sanfilippo C, Castrogiovanni P, Imbesi R, Lazzarino G, Di Pietro V, Li Volti G, Tibullo D, Barbagallo I, Lazzarino G, Avola R, Musumeci G, Fazio F, Vinciguerra M, Di Rosa M. Sex-dependent monoamine oxidase isoforms expression patterns during human brain ageing. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 197:111516. [PMID: 34097937 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Human behavior is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is among the most investigated genetic determinants of violent behaviors, while the monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) is explored in Parkinson's disease. We collected twenty-four post-mortem brain tissue datasets of 3871 and 1820 non-demented males and females, respectively, who died from causes not attributable to neurodegenerative diseases. The gene expressions of MAOA and MAOB (MAO genes) were analyzed in these subjects, who were further stratified according to age into eleven groups ranging from late Infancy (5-9 months) to centenarians (>100 years). MAO genes were differently expressed in brains during the entire life span. In particular, maximal and minimal expression levels were found in early life and around the teen years. Females tended to have higher MAO gene levels throughout their lives than those found in age-matched males, even when expressions were separately measured in different brain regions. We demonstrated the existence of age- and sex- related variations in the MAO transcript levels in defined brain regions. More in-depth protein studies are needed to confirm our preliminary results obtained only on messenger RNAs in order to establish the role played by MAO genes in human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Sanfilippo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Strada Statale 113, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Castrogiovanni
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Rosa Imbesi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lazzarino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Valentina Di Pietro
- Neurotrauma and Ophthalmology Research Group, Institute of Inflammation and Aging, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Giovanni Li Volti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Daniele Tibullo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Ignazio Barbagallo
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giacomo Lazzarino
- UniCamillus - Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Via di Sant'Alessandro 8, 00131, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Avola
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Musumeci
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Fazio
- University of California San Diego, Department of Psychiatry, Health Science, San Diego La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Manlio Vinciguerra
- International Clinical Research Center (FNUSA-ICRC), St' Anne University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michelino Di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
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4
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Mentis AFA, Dardiotis E, Katsouni E, Chrousos GP. From warrior genes to translational solutions: novel insights into monoamine oxidases (MAOs) and aggression. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:130. [PMID: 33602896 PMCID: PMC7892552 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01257-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The pervasive and frequently devastating nature of aggressive behavior calls for a collective effort to understand its psychosocial and neurobiological underpinnings. Regarding the latter, diverse brain areas, neural networks, neurotransmitters, hormones, and candidate genes have been associated with antisocial and aggressive behavior in humans and animals. This review focuses on the role of monoamine oxidases (MAOs) and the genes coding for them, in the modulation of aggression. During the past 20 years, a substantial number of studies using both pharmacological and genetic approaches have linked the MAO system with aggressive and impulsive behaviors in healthy and clinical populations, including the recent discovery of MAALIN, a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) regulating the MAO-A gene in the human brain. Here, we first provide an overview of the MAOs and their physiological functions, we then summarize recent key findings linking MAO-related enzymatic and gene activity and aggressive behavior, and, finally, we offer novel insights into the mechanisms underlying this association. Using the existing experimental evidence as a foundation, we discuss the translational implications of these findings in clinical practice and highlight what we believe are outstanding conceptual and methodological questions in the field. Ultimately, we propose that unraveling the specific role of MAO in aggression requires an integrated approach, where this question is pursued by combining psychological, radiological, and genetic/genomic assessments. The translational benefits of such an approach include the discovery of novel biomarkers of aggression and targeting the MAO system to modulate pathological aggression in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexios-Fotios A Mentis
- Public Health Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Vas. Sofias Avenue 127, 115 21, Athens, Greece
| | - Efthimios Dardiotis
- Department of Neurology, University of Thessaly, Panepistimiou 3, Viopolis, 41 500, Larissa, Greece
| | - Eleni Katsouni
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - George P Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Livadias 8, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
- UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, Athens, Greece.
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5
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Bounoua N, Miglin R, Spielberg JM, Sadeh N. Childhood assaultive trauma and physical aggression: Links with cortical thickness in prefrontal and occipital cortices. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 27:102321. [PMID: 32629165 PMCID: PMC7339124 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Childhood assaultive trauma exposure is linked to less cortical thickness. Cortical thickness in prefrontal regions is inversely associated with aggression. Prefrontal thickness mediated the link between trauma exposure and aggression.
Although the link between childhood maltreatment and violence perpetration in adulthood (i.e., the “cycle of violence”) is well-documented, the neural mechanisms driving these processes remain relatively unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether cortical thickness in adulthood varies as a function of childhood assaultive trauma exposure and whether such neurobiological markers of early trauma relate to the perpetration of aggression across the lifespan. In a sample of 138 ethnically-diverse men and women, whole-brain analysis of the cortical mantle revealed that individuals with exposure to assaultive trauma before age 13 had less cortical thickness in two clusters that survived multiple comparison correction: a region that peaked in the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and a region peaking in the right pericalcarine cortex. Diminished cortical thickness in the left OFC cluster was, in turn, associated with greater physical aggression, and mediation analysis revealed that reductions in cortical thickness in this left prefrontal region partially accounted for the association between exposure to childhood assaultive trauma and lifetime perpetration of aggression in adulthood. Findings extend previous investigations into the morphological correlates of early assaultive trauma by implicating reductions in cortical thickness as a potential mechanism linking early violence exposure to violence perpetration that extends into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Bounoua
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States.
| | - Rickie Miglin
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Spielberg
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States
| | - Naomi Sadeh
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States
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6
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Eusebi PG, Sevane N, Cortés O, Contreras E, Cañon J, Dunner S. Aggressive behavior in cattle is associated with a polymorphism in the MAOA gene promoter. Anim Genet 2019; 51:14-21. [PMID: 31633208 DOI: 10.1111/age.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Molecular mechanisms underlying aggressive behavior are primitive and similar among the subphylum Vertebrata. In humans, a primary goal in the study of aggression is to determine the neurobehavioral molecular factors triggering violence. Although several species have been used to study agonistic responses, researchers are limited by the difficulty of artificially inducing aggression in animals not selected for it. Conversely, the Lidia cattle breed has been selected since the eighteenth century to display agonistic responses based on traits such as aggressiveness, ferocity and mobility, all of them showing significant heritability values. This intensive selection may have driven shifts in specific allele frequencies. In a previous analysis across the autosomes, we revealed long-term selection regions including genes involved in behavioral development. In the present study, we focus on mapping recent signatures of selection associated with aggressiveness at chromosome X, by comparing Lidia cattle samples with two non-specialized Spanish breeds showing tamed behavior. The most significant markers peaked around the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene, and thus the associations of three functionally important regions located near the promoter of this gene were further investigated. A polymorphism consisting of a variable number of tandem repeats of the nucleotide 'C' (BTX:105,462,494) and displaying lower number of repetitions in the Lidia breed when compared with the tamed breeds was detected. In silico analyses predicted that the g.105,462,494delsinsC variant may code for the Sp1 binding motif, one of the major transcription factors controlling the core promoter and expression of the MAOA gene in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- P G Eusebi
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.,VELOGEN.SL., Servicio de Genética, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - N Sevane
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - O Cortés
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Contreras
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Cañon
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Dunner
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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7
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Vaeroy H, Schneider F, Fetissov SO. Neurobiology of Aggressive Behavior-Role of Autoantibodies Reactive With Stress-Related Peptide Hormones. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:872. [PMID: 31866881 PMCID: PMC6904880 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Adrenocorticotropic hormone together with arginine vasopressin and oxytocin, the neuropeptides regulating the stress response and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, are known to modulate aggressive behavior. The functional role of the adrenocorticotropic hormone immunoglobulin G autoantibodies in peptidergic signaling and motivated behavior, including aggression, has been shown in experimental and in vitro models. This review summarizes some experimental data implicating autoantibodies reactive with stress-related peptides in aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henning Vaeroy
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway
| | - Frida Schneider
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway
| | - Sergueï O Fetissov
- Inserm UMR1239, Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Differentiation and Communication, University of Rouen Normandy, Rouen, France
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Vevera J, Zarrei M, Hartmannová H, Jedličková I, Mušálková D, Přistoupilová A, Oliveriusová P, Trešlová H, Nosková L, Hodaňová K, Stránecký V, Jiřička V, Preiss M, Příhodová K, Šaligová J, Wei J, Woodbury-Smith M, Bleyer AJ, Scherer SW, Kmoch S. Rare copy number variation in extremely impulsively violent males. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12536. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Vevera
- Department of Psychiatry; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
- Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine; Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague; Prague Czech Republic
- Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education; Prague Czech Republic
- Psychology Department; National Institute of Mental Health; Klecany Czech Republic
| | - Mehdi Zarrei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics and Program in Genetics and Genome Biology; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Hana Hartmannová
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Jedličková
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Dita Mušálková
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Anna Přistoupilová
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Petra Oliveriusová
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Helena Trešlová
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Nosková
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Hodaňová
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Viktor Stránecký
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Václav Jiřička
- Prison Service of the Czech Republic, Directorate General; Department of Psychology; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Marek Preiss
- Psychology Department; National Institute of Mental Health; Klecany Czech Republic
- Psychology Department; University of New York in Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Příhodová
- Psychology Department; National Institute of Mental Health; Klecany Czech Republic
| | - Jana Šaligová
- Children's Faculty Hospital; Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; Kosice Slovakia
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Pavel Jozef Šafárik University Kosice; Kosice Slovakia
| | - John Wei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics and Program in Genetics and Genome Biology; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Marc Woodbury-Smith
- The Centre for Applied Genomics and Program in Genetics and Genome Biology; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Institute, Royal Victoria Infirmary; Newcastle upon Tyne UK
| | - Anthony J. Bleyer
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
- Section on Nephrology, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Medical Center Blvd.; Winston-Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Stephen W. Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics and Program in Genetics and Genome Biology; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics and McLaughlin Centre; University of Toronto; Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Stanislav Kmoch
- Research Unit for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
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Gutleb DR, Ostner J, Schülke O, Wajjwalku W, Sukmak M, Roos C, Noll A. Non-invasive genotyping with a massively parallel sequencing panel for the detection of SNPs in HPA-axis genes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15944. [PMID: 30374157 PMCID: PMC6206064 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34223-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We designed a genotyping panel for the investigation of the genetic underpinnings of inter-individual differences in aggression and the physiological stress response. The panel builds on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the three subsystems of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis: the catecholamine, serotonin and corticoid metabolism. To promote the pipeline for use with wild animal populations, we used non-invasively collected faecal samples from a wild population of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis). We targeted loci of 46 previously reported SNPs in 21 candidate genes coding for elements of the HPA-axis and amplified and sequenced them using next-generation Illumina sequencing technology. We compared multiple bioinformatics pipelines for variant calling and variant effect prediction. Based on this strategy and the application of different quality thresholds, we identified up to 159 SNPs with different types of predicted functional effects among our natural study population. This study provides a massively parallel sequencing panel that will facilitate integrating large-scale SNP data into behavioural and physiological studies. Such a multi-faceted approach will promote understanding of flexibility and constraints of animal behaviour and hormone physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Gutleb
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany. .,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany. .,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - J Ostner
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - O Schülke
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - W Wajjwalku
- Department of Farm Resources and Production Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - M Sukmak
- Department of Farm Resources and Production Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - C Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - A Noll
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Smoking dependence is the main cause for tobacco-related illnesses. The addiction-causing substance in tobacco, nicotine, acts through the dopamine pathway in the brain, causing several pleasurable experiences through cigarette smoking. Thus, both genetic and epigenetic factors related to dopamine metabolism may play an important role in influencing an individual's smoking behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied the 1460 C/T variation and the variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in the MAOA gene and A/G variation in intron 13 in the MAOB gene together with four DNA methylation sites in both of these genes in relation to several smoking-related phenotypes in a study population of 1230 Whites of Russian origin. RESULTS The genotypes studied were found to be associated with smoking status in women; the MAOB G variant allele was more prevalent in female smokers than nonsmokers [odds ratio (OR): 2.16, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-4.33], whereas a reverse relation was observed for the MAOA 1460 T-variant allele (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.21-0.91) and variable number tandem repeat low-activity alleles (OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24-0.98). Moreover, the mean methylation values of the CpG sites studied in the MAOA gene were related to smoking behavior in women. Similarly, several methylation patterns in the MAOB gene were associated with a smoking history, with each CpG site showing a remarkable sex dependence. CONCLUSION Smoking behavior seems to be related to the genetic and epigenetic profile of MAO genes, with considerable individual and sex-related differences.
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11
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Nilsson KW, Åslund C, Comasco E, Oreland L. Gene-environment interaction of monoamine oxidase A in relation to antisocial behaviour: current and future directions. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:1601-1626. [PMID: 29881923 PMCID: PMC6224008 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1892-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent W Nilsson
- Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, County Hospital, Västerås, Sweden.
| | - Cecilia Åslund
- Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, County Hospital, Västerås, Sweden
| | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Oreland
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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12
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Genetic variants in oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and childhood physical abuse collaborate to modify the risk of aggression in chinese adolescents. J Affect Disord 2018; 229:105-110. [PMID: 29306689 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors may influence aggression susceptibility. However, the etiology of aggressive behavior remains unknown. Compared to some extensively studied candidate genes of aggression, very little is known about the OXTR gene. The objective of this study was to determine whether OXTR genetic variants were associated with aggression risk and whether these polymorphisms showed interactive effects with childhood maltreatment on aggression in Chinese adolescents. METHODS A total of 996 participants including 488 cases and 488 controls were selected in our study. Aggression, childhood maltreatment were measured by self-reported questionnaire. Buccal cells were collected. Genotyping was performed using SNPscan. Logistic regressions were used to estimate both main effects of OXTR polymorphisms and the interactive effects with childhood maltreatment on aggressive behavior. RESULTS Participants who carried the rs237885 TT genotypes in OXTR had a higher risk of aggression compared to those who carried GG or GT genotypes under the recessive model (OR=1.40, 95% CI, 1.04-1.89) after controlling for potential confounders. In addition, we also found that the polymorphism had a synergic additive interaction with childhood physical abuse on the aggression risk. LIMITATIONS The subjects in the present study were only males, thus our findings and conclusions could not be generalized to females. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides evidence that OXTR genetic variants may contribute to aggression susceptibility. Moreover, this is the first study reporting significant interactive effects of OXTR polymorphism and childhood physical abuse on aggressive behavior in Chinese adolescents.
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Anjara SG, Nellums LB, Bonetto C, Van Bortel T. Stress, health and quality of life of female migrant domestic workers in Singapore: a cross-sectional study. BMC Womens Health 2017; 17:98. [PMID: 29017558 PMCID: PMC5634837 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-017-0442-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a global increase in migrant workers. In Singapore, there are over 230,000 migrant domestic workers (MDWs). Female MDWs may experience high levels of stress and social isolation, which may negatively impact on their health and quality of life. There have also been documented cases of abuse and exploitation. However, there is a lack of empirical research with this population. This study aimed to investigate factors impacting on the health and quality of life of female MDWs in Singapore, including socio-demographic and job related characteristics, stress, social isolation, and working management style. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 182 female MDWs in Singapore. The survey examined health and quality of life (WHOQoL-Bréf), social connectedness (the Friendship Scale), and preferred and experienced working management style (the Theory X and Theory Y Questionnaire). Descriptive analyses were carried out in addition to ANOVA, t-tests, and chi-square tests, followed by a multivariate analysis using linear regression. RESULTS Participants were found to have good overall quality of life and satisfaction with health. Age and working experience were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with overall quality of life and three domains (psychological, social, and environmental health). Agreement between experienced and preferred working management style was also found to be associated with higher quality of life scores (with the exception of the social relationships domain). Though women reported relatively good overall quality of life, more than half of participants reported feeling stressed. In addition, nearly 20% of participants reported being isolated or very isolated. Stress was identified to be associated with isolation. In the multivariate analysis, stress was found to contribute to worse quality of life in all domains except social relationships, after adjusting for confounders. Social connectedness was positively associated with all domains of quality of life, and agreement of working management style was positively associated with physical health, psychological health and environmental quality of life. CONCLUSIONS The findings serve as an evidence-base pointing to the need for policies aimed at decreasing stress and social isolation among female MDWs in order to improve their health and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. G. Anjara
- Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 113 Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SR UK
| | - L. B. Nellums
- Section of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, 8th Floor Commonwealth Building, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - C. Bonetto
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - T. Van Bortel
- Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 113 Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SR UK
- Institute for Health and Human Development, University of East London, Stratford Campus, Suite 250, University House, The Green, Water Lane, London, E15 4LZ UK
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14
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Kolla NJ, Vinette SA. Monoamine Oxidase A in Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2017; 4:41-48. [PMID: 29568721 PMCID: PMC5846806 DOI: 10.1007/s40473-017-0102-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Variation 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 Findings The 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. Summary Candidate 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Kolla
- 1Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON Canada.,2Violence Prevention Neurobiological Research Unit, CAMH, Toronto, ON Canada.,3Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Sarah A Vinette
- 1Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON Canada
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15
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Morozova A, Zubkov E, Strekalova T, Kekelidze Z, Storozeva Z, Schroeter CA, Bazhenova N, Lesch KP, Cline BH, Chekhonin V. Ultrasound of alternating frequencies and variable emotional impact evokes depressive syndrome in mice and rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 68:52-63. [PMID: 27036099 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Revised: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Emotional stress is primarily triggered by the cognitive processing of negative input; it is regarded as a serious pathogenetic factor of depression that is challenging to model in animals. While available stress paradigms achieve considerable face and construct validity in modelling depressive disorders, broader use of naturalistic stressors instead of the more prevalent models with artificial challenges inducing physical discomfort or pain may substantially contribute to the development of novel antidepressants. Here, we investigated whether a 3-week exposure of Wistar rats and Balb/c mice to unpredictably alternating frequencies of ultrasound between the ranges of 20-25 and 25-45kHz, which are known to correspond with an emotionally negative and with a neutral emotional state, respectively, for small rodents in nature, can induce behavioural and molecular depressive-like changes. Both rats and mice displayed decreased sucrose preference, elevated "despair" behaviour in a swim test, reduced locomotion and social exploration. Rats showed an increased expression of SERT and 5-HT2A receptor, a decreased expression of 5-HT1A receptor in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, diminished BDNF on gene and protein levels in the hippocampus. Fluoxetine, administered to rats at the dose of 10mg/kg, largely precluded behavioural depressive-like changes. Thus, the here applied paradigm of emotional stress is generating an experimental depressive state in rodents, which is not related to any physical stressors or pain. In essence, this ultrasound stress model, besides enhancing animal welfare, is likely to provide improved validity in the modelling of clinical depression and may help advance translational research and drug discovery for this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Morozova
- Department of Basic and Applied Neurobiology, V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia; Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU), Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugene Zubkov
- Department of Basic and Applied Neurobiology, V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia; Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU), Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatyana Strekalova
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Zurab Kekelidze
- Department of Basic and Applied Neurobiology, V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Zinaida Storozeva
- Department of Basic and Applied Neurobiology, V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Nataliia Bazhenova
- Laboratory of Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Brandon H Cline
- INSERM U1119, FMTS, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Vladimir Chekhonin
- Department of Basic and Applied Neurobiology, V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia; Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU), Moscow, Russia.
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16
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Waltes R, Chiocchetti AG, Freitag CM. The neurobiological basis of human aggression: A review on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:650-75. [PMID: 26494515 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an evolutionary conserved behavior present in most species including humans. Inadequate aggression can lead to long-term detrimental personal and societal effects. Here, we differentiate between proactive and reactive forms of aggression and review the genetic determinants of it. Heritability estimates of aggression in general vary between studies due to differing assessment instruments for aggressive behavior (AB) as well as age and gender of study participants. In addition, especially non-shared environmental factors shape AB. Current hypotheses suggest that environmental effects such as early life stress or chronic psychosocial risk factors (e.g., maltreatment) and variation in genes related to neuroendocrine, dopaminergic as well as serotonergic systems increase the risk to develop AB. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the genetics of human aggression based on twin studies, genetic association studies, animal models, and epigenetic analyses with the aim to differentiate between mechanisms associated with proactive or reactive aggression. We hypothesize that from a genetic perspective, the aminergic systems are likely to regulate both reactive and proactive aggression, whereas the endocrine pathways seem to be more involved in regulation of reactive aggression through modulation of impulsivity. Epigenetic studies on aggression have associated non-genetic risk factors with modifications of the stress response and the immune system. Finally, we point to the urgent need for further genome-wide analyses and the integration of genetic and epigenetic information to understand individual differences in reactive and proactive AB. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Waltes
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas G Chiocchetti
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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17
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Fernàndez-Castillo N, Cormand B. Aggressive behavior in humans: Genes and pathways identified through association studies. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:676-96. [PMID: 26773414 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive behavior has both genetic and environmental components. Many association studies have been performed to identify genetic factors underlying aggressive behaviors in humans. In this review we summarize the previous work performed in this field, considering both candidate gene (CGAS) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), excluding those performed in samples where the primary diagnosis is a psychiatric or neurological disorder other than an aggression-related phenotype. Subsequently, we have studied the enrichment of pathways and functions in GWAS data. The results of our searches show that most CGAS have identified associations with genes involved in dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission and in hormone regulation. On the other hand, GWAS have not yet identified genome-wide significant associations, but top nominal findings are related to several signaling pathways, such as axon guidance or estrogen receptor signaling, and also to neurodevelopmental processes and synaptic plasticity. Future studies should use larger samples, homogeneous phenotypes and standardized measurements to identify genes that underlie aggressive behaviors in humans. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noèlia Fernàndez-Castillo
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
| | - Bru Cormand
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
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18
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Freudenberg F, Carreño Gutierrez H, Post AM, Reif A, Norton WHJ. Aggression in non-human vertebrates: Genetic mechanisms and molecular pathways. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:603-40. [PMID: 26284957 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an adaptive behavioral trait that is important for the establishment of social hierarchies and competition for mating partners, food, and territories. While a certain level of aggression can be beneficial for the survival of an individual or species, abnormal aggression levels can be detrimental. Abnormal aggression is commonly found in human patients with psychiatric disorders. The predisposition to aggression is influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and a large number of genes have been associated with aggression in both human and animal studies. In this review, we compare and contrast aggression studies in zebrafish and mouse. We present gene ontology and pathway analyses of genes linked to aggression and discuss the molecular pathways that underpin agonistic behavior in these species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Freudenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Antonia M Post
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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19
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Nosjean A, Cressant A, de Chaumont F, Olivo-Marin JC, Chauveau F, Granon S. Acute stress in adulthood impoverishes social choices and triggers aggressiveness in preclinical models. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 8:447. [PMID: 25610381 PMCID: PMC4285129 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult C57BL/6J mice are known to exhibit high level of social flexibility while mice lacking the β2 subunit of nicotinic receptors (β2(-/-) mice) present social rigidity. We asked ourselves what would be the consequences of a restraint acute stress (45 min) on social interactions in adult mice of both genotypes, hence the contribution of neuronal nicotinic receptors in this process. We therefore dissected social interaction complexity of stressed and not stressed dyads of mice in a social interaction task. We also measured plasma corticosterone levels in our experimental conditions. We showed that a single stress exposure occurring in adulthood reduced and disorganized social interaction complexity in both C57BL/6J and β2(-/-) mice. These stress-induced maladaptive social interactions involved alteration of distinct social categories and strategies in both genotypes, suggesting a dissociable impact of stress depending on the functioning of the cholinergic nicotinic system. In both genotypes, social behaviors under stress were coupled to aggressive reactions with no plasma corticosterone changes. Thus, aggressiveness appeared a general response independent of nicotinic function. We demonstrate here that a single stress exposure occurring in adulthood is sufficient to impoverish social interactions: stress impaired social flexibility in C57BL/6J mice whereas it reinforced β2(-/-) mice behavioral rigidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Nosjean
- Centre de Neuroscience Paris Sud, Université Paris Sud 11 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 8195 Orsay, France
| | - Arnaud Cressant
- Centre de Neuroscience Paris Sud, Université Paris Sud 11 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 8195 Orsay, France
| | - Fabrice de Chaumont
- Unité d'Analyse d'Images Quantitative, Institut Pasteur, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique URA 2582 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Olivo-Marin
- Unité d'Analyse d'Images Quantitative, Institut Pasteur, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique URA 2582 Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Chauveau
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, NCO, Unité NPS Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Sylvie Granon
- Centre de Neuroscience Paris Sud, Université Paris Sud 11 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 8195 Orsay, France
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20
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Wolf OT, Schulte JM, Drimalla H, Hamacher-Dang TC, Knoch D, Dziobek I. Enhanced emotional empathy after psychosocial stress in young healthy men. Stress 2015; 18:631-7. [PMID: 26365125 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2015.1078787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathy is a core prerequisite for human social behavior. Relatively, little is known about how empathy is influenced by social stress and its associated neuroendocrine alterations. The current study was designed to test the impact of acute stress on emotional and cognitive empathy. Healthy male participants were exposed to a psychosocial laboratory stressor (trier social stress test, (TSST)) or a well-matched control condition (Placebo-TSST). Afterwards they participated in an empathy test measuring emotional and cognitive empathy (multifaceted empathy test, (MET)). Stress exposure caused an increase in negative affect, a rise in salivary alpha amylase and a rise in cortisol. Participants exposed to stress reported more emotional empathy in response to pictures displaying both positive and negative emotional social scenes. Cognitive empathy (emotion recognition) in contrast did not differ between the stress and the control group. The current findings provide initial evidence for enhanced emotional empathy after acute psychosocial stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver T Wolf
- a Department of Cognitive Psychology , Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum , Germany
| | - Judith M Schulte
- a Department of Cognitive Psychology , Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum , Germany
| | - Hanna Drimalla
- b Department of Social Cognition , Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität Berlin , Berlin , Germany , and
| | - Tanja C Hamacher-Dang
- b Department of Social Cognition , Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität Berlin , Berlin , Germany , and
| | - Daria Knoch
- c Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern , Switzerland
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- b Department of Social Cognition , Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität Berlin , Berlin , Germany , and
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21
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Dell'osso L, Mandelli L, Carlini M, Bouanani S, Rotondo A, Conversano C, Serretti A, Marazziti D. Temperamental and genetic predictors of suicide attempt and self-mutilation. Neuropsychobiology 2014; 68:250-7. [PMID: 24280759 DOI: 10.1159/000356228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Literature findings mainly support the notion that suicide attempts (SA) and self-mutilating behavior (SMB) are distinct behaviors, although they may share common psychopathological features. In the present paper we aimed to identify behavioral phenotypes in patients with SA, SMB, or both (SAM) and to analyze the association with candidate genes. METHODS One hundred forty-two inpatients with a history of SA (n = 86), SMB (n = 22), and SAM (n = 39) were included in this study. Subjects were evaluated using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI). Polymorphisms within serotonin transporter (SLC6A4, HTTLPR), catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT, Val158Met), and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH, 218C>A) were also analyzed. RESULTS Principal component factor analysis including the BDHI and TPQ produced 3 factors that could classify the 3 groups of patients with good sensitivity. However, only the 'pure suicidal' factor had a sufficient positive predictive value. This factor was characterized by high levels of persistence (PS) and, to a lower extent, reward dependence. The distribution of genotypes was not different across patient groups for all polymorphisms, but the SS genotype of HTTLPR was significantly associated with the 'self-mutilation' factor, characterized by high levels of hostile traits, novelty seeking, and harm avoidance. CONCLUSION The results of the present study suggest that different and overlapping temperamental traits in suicidal and self-mutilating patients are present, although only high levels of PS could predict SA repetition. Finally, HTTLPR may mediate the risk for SMB through modulation of some temperamental traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Dell'osso
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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22
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Haller J, Harold G, Sandi C, Neumann ID. Effects of adverse early-life events on aggression and anti-social behaviours in animals and humans. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:724-38. [PMID: 25059307 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We review the impact of early adversities on the development of violence and antisocial behaviour in humans, and present three aetiological animal models of escalated rodent aggression, each disentangling the consequences of one particular adverse early-life factor. A review of the human data, as well as those obtained with the animal models of repeated maternal separation, post-weaning social isolation and peripubertal stress, clearly shows that adverse developmental conditions strongly affect aggressive behaviour displayed in adulthood, the emotional responses to social challenges and the neuronal mechanisms activated by conflict. Although similarities between models are evident, important differences were also noted, demonstrating that the behavioural, emotional and neuronal consequences of early adversities are to a large extent dependent on aetiological factors. These findings support recent theories on human aggression, which suggest that particular developmental trajectories lead to specific forms of aggressive behaviour and brain dysfunctions. However, dissecting the roles of particular aetiological factors in humans is difficult because these occur in various combinations; in addition, the neuroscientific tools employed in humans still lack the depth of analysis of those used in animal research. We suggest that the analytical approach of the rodent models presented here may be successfully used to complement human findings and to develop integrative models of the complex relationship between early adversity, brain development and aggressive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Haller
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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Manuel R, Boerrigter J, Roques J, van der Heul J, van den Bos R, Flik G, van de Vis H. Stress in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) following overland transportation. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2014; 40:33-44. [PMID: 23801364 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-013-9821-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Of the many stressors in aquaculture, transportation of fish has remained poorly studied. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the effects of a (simulated) commercial transportation on stress physiology of market-size African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Catfish weighing approximately 1.25 kg were returned to the farm after 3 h of truck-transportation, and stress-related parameters were measured for up to 72 h following return. Recovery from transportation was assessed through blood samples measuring plasma cortisol, glucose and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and gill histology. Also, the number of skin lesions was compared before and after transport. Pre-transport handling and sorting elevated plasma cortisol levels compared to unhandled animals (before fasting). Plasma cortisol levels were further increased due to transportation. In control fish, plasma cortisol levels returned to baseline values within 6 h, whereas it took 48 h to reach baseline values in transported catfish. Plasma glucose and NEFA levels remained stable and were similar across all groups. Transported catfish did not, on average, have more skin lesions than the handling group, but the number of skin lesions had increased compared to unhandled animals. The macroscopic condition of the gills was similar in control, transported and unhandled catfish; however, light microscopy and immunohistochemistry revealed atypical morphology and chloride cell migration normally associated with adverse water conditions. From our data, we conclude that transportation may be considered a strong stressor to catfish that may add to other stressors and thus inflict upon the welfare of the fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remy Manuel
- IWWR, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,
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Guillemin C, Provençal N, Suderman M, Côté SM, Vitaro F, Hallett M, Tremblay RE, Szyf M. DNA methylation signature of childhood chronic physical aggression in T cells of both men and women. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86822. [PMID: 24475181 PMCID: PMC3901708 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background High frequency of physical aggression is the central feature of severe conduct disorder and is associated with a wide range of social, mental and physical health problems. We have previously tested the hypothesis that differential DNA methylation signatures in peripheral T cells are associated with a chronic aggression trajectory in males. Despite the fact that sex differences appear to play a pivotal role in determining the development, magnitude and frequency of aggression, most of previous studies focused on males, so little is known about female chronic physical aggression. We therefore tested here whether or not there is a signature of physical aggression in female DNA methylation and, if there is, how it relates to the signature observed in males. Methodology/Principal Findings Methylation profiles were created using the method of methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) followed by microarray hybridization and statistical and bioinformatic analyses on T cell DNA obtained from adult women who were found to be on a chronic physical aggression trajectory (CPA) between 6 and 12 years of age compared to women who followed a normal physical aggression trajectory. We confirmed the existence of a well-defined, genome-wide signature of DNA methylation associated with chronic physical aggression in the peripheral T cells of adult females that includes many of the genes similarly associated with physical aggression in the same cell types of adult males. Conclusions This study in a small number of women presents preliminary evidence for a genome-wide variation in promoter DNA methylation that associates with CPA in women that warrant larger studies for further verification. A significant proportion of these associations were previously observed in men with CPA supporting the hypothesis that the epigenetic signature of early life aggression in females is composed of a component specific to females and another common to both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Guillemin
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Research Unit on Children's Psycho-Social Maladjustment and Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Research Unit on Children's Psycho-Social Maladjustment and Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Matthew Suderman
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; McGill Centre for Bioinformatics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sylvana M Côté
- Research Unit on Children's Psycho-Social Maladjustment and Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; INSERM U669, Paris, France ; School of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- Research Unit on Children's Psycho-Social Maladjustment and Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; School of Psycho-Education, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Hallett
- McGill Centre for Bioinformatics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- Research Unit on Children's Psycho-Social Maladjustment and Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Department of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; School of Public Health and Population Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland ; INSERM U669, Paris, France
| | - Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Kohl C, Riccio O, Grosse J, Zanoletti O, Fournier C, Klampfl SM, Schmidt MV, Sandi C. The interplay of conditional NCAM-knockout and chronic unpredictable stress leads to increased aggression in mice. Stress 2013; 16:647-54. [PMID: 24010949 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2013.840824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is a key regulator of brain plasticity. Substantial evidence indicates that NCAM is down-regulated by exposure to sustained stress and chronic stress seems to lead to increased aggression. In addition, constitutional NCAM deletion in mice has been shown to lead to increased intermale aggression and altered emotionality Forebrain-specific postnatal NCAM knockout was previously shown to impair cognitive function, particularly when animals were exposed to subchronic stress, but the effects on emotional and social behavior remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the potential interplay of a forebrain-specific postnatal NCAM deletion and exposure to different lengths of repeated stress (i.e. subchronic: 14 days; chronic: 29 days) on aggressive and emotional behavior. Our results show that postnatal deletion of NCAM in the forebrain leads to increased aggression and altered emotionality depending on the duration of stress, whereas conditional NCAM knockout has no basal impact on these behaviors. These findings support the involvement of NCAM in the regulation of emotional and aggressive behaviors, suggesting that diminished NCAM expression might be a critical vulnerability factor for the development of these behavioral alterations under repeated exposure to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Kohl
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , EPFL, Lausanne , Switzerland and
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Common variants of the mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor genes may contribute to pregnancy-related anxiety: a pilot study. Open Med (Wars) 2013. [DOI: 10.2478/s11536-012-0101-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis overactivity is thought to contribute to increased vulnerability to maternal stress. We hypothesize that functionally relevant polymorphic variants of the glucocorticoid (NR3C1) and mineralocorticoid (NR3C2) receptor genes mediating biological effects of cortisol, a major stress hormone, could also modulate the capacity to cope with pregnancy-related anxiety. Genomic DNA from the blood of 42 women with pregnancy-related anxiety and 42 age-matched women with normal pregnancy (5–6th months of gestation) were genotyped for markers rs6195 and rs10482605 of NR3C1 and two NR3C2 polymorphisms (rs5522 and rs2070951) using a Taqman allele discrimination assay. Serum total cortisol was measured using an ELISA technique. The allele Ser363 of rs6195 (the N363S polymorphism of NR3C1) was found to be associated with a higher risk of maternal stress (odds ratio (OR)=5.27; P=0.001). For NR3C2, the allele Val180 of rs5522 (I180V) also showed association with increased risk of neonatal stress (OR=1.97; P=0.038). Both predisposing gene variants were also associated with significantly elevated levels of cortisol in normally pregnant women and females with pregnancy-related anxiety. Our results suggest that pregnancy-related anxiety can be modulated by variants of NR3C1 and NR3C2 associated with increased basal cortisol levels. Thus, our findings provide evidence in support of the suggestion that elevated cortisol levels and HPA axis hyperactivity are implicated in pregnancy-related anxiety.
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Shumay E, Logan J, Volkow ND, Fowler JS. Evidence that the methylation state of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene predicts brain activity of MAO A enzyme in healthy men. Epigenetics 2012; 7:1151-60. [PMID: 22948232 DOI: 10.4161/epi.21976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human brain function is mediated by biochemical processes, many of which can be visualized and quantified by positron emission tomography (PET). PET brain imaging of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A)-an enzyme metabolizing neurotransmitters-revealed that MAO A levels vary widely between healthy men and this variability was not explained by the common MAOA genotype (VNTR genotype), suggesting that environmental factors, through epigenetic modifications, may mediate it. Here, we analyzed MAOA methylation in white blood cells (by bisulphite conversion of genomic DNA and subsequent sequencing of cloned DNA products) and measured brain MAO A levels (using PET and [(11)C]clorgyline, a radiotracer with specificity for MAO A) in 34 healthy non-smoking male volunteers. We found significant interindividual differences in methylation status and methylation patterns of the core MAOA promoter. The VNTR genotype did not influence the methylation status of the gene or brain MAO A activity. In contrast, we found a robust association of the regional and CpG site-specific methylation of the core MAOA promoter with brain MAO A levels. These results suggest that the methylation status of the MAOA promoter (detected in white blood cells) can reliably predict the brain endophenotype. Therefore, the status of MAOA methylation observed in healthy males merits consideration as a variable contributing to interindividual differences in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Shumay
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Medical Department, Upton, NY, USA.
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Chistiakov DA, Kekelidze ZI, Chekhonin VP. Endophenotypes as a measure of suicidality. J Appl Genet 2012; 53:389-413. [DOI: 10.1007/s13353-012-0113-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2012] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Aggression is suppressed by acute stress but induced by chronic stress: Immobilization effects on aggression, hormones, and cortical 5-HT1B/ striatal dopamine D2 receptor density. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2012; 12:446-59. [DOI: 10.3758/s13415-012-0095-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Knapp LA, Innocent SHS. Molecules and mating: positive selection and reproductive behaviour in primates. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2012; 739:218-36. [PMID: 22399405 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-1704-0_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is generally thought to be more costly than asexual reproduction. However, it does have the advantage of accelerating rates of adaptation through processes such as recombination and positive selection. Comparative studies of the human and nonhuman primate genomes have demonstrated that positive selection has played an important role in the evolutionary history of humans and other primates. To date, many dozens of genes, thought to be affected by positive selection, have been identified. In this chapter, we will focus on genes that are associated with mating behaviours and reproductive processes, concentrating on genes that are most likely to enhance reproductive success and that also show evidence of positive selection. The genes encode phenotypic features that potentially influence mate choice decisions or impact the evolution and function of genes involved in the perception and regulation of, and the response to, phenotypic signals. We will also consider genes that influence precopulatory behavioural traits in humans and nonhuman primates, such as social bonding and aggression. The evolution of post-copulatory strategies such as sperm competition and selective abortion may also evolve in the presence of intense competition and these adaptations will also be considered. Although behaviour may not be solely determined by genes, the evidence suggests that the genes discussed in this chapter have some influence on human and nonhuman primate behaviour and that positive selection on these genes results in some degree of population differentiation and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie A Knapp
- Primate Immunogenetics and Molecular Ecology Research Group, Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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31
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Pavlov KA, Chistiakov DA, Chekhonin VP. Genetic determinants of aggression and impulsivity in humans. J Appl Genet 2011; 53:61-82. [PMID: 21994088 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-011-0069-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2011] [Revised: 09/24/2011] [Accepted: 09/26/2011] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human aggression/impulsivity-related traits have a complex background that is greatly influenced by genetic and non-genetic factors. The relationship between aggression and anxiety is regulated by highly conserved brain regions including amygdala, which controls neural circuits triggering defensive, aggressive, or avoidant behavioral models. The dysfunction of neural circuits responsible for emotional control was shown to represent an etiological factor of violent behavior. In addition to the amygdala, these circuits also involve the anterior cingulated cortex and regions of the prefrontal cortex. Excessive reactivity in the amygdala coupled with inadequate prefrontal regulation serves to increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior. Developmental alterations in prefrontal-subcortical circuitry as well as neuromodulatory and hormonal abnormality appear to play a role. Imbalance in testosterone/serotonin and testosterone/cortisol ratios (e.g., increased testosterone levels and reduced cortisol levels) increases the propensity toward aggression because of reduced activation of the neural circuitry of impulse control and self-regulation. Serotonin facilitates prefrontal inhibition, and thus insufficient serotonergic activity can enhance aggression. Genetic predisposition to aggression appears to be deeply affected by the polymorphic genetic variants of the serotoninergic system that influences serotonin levels in the central and peripheral nervous system, biological effects of this hormone, and rate of serotonin production, synaptic release and degradation. Among these variants, functional polymorphisms in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) may be of particular importance due to the relationship between these polymorphic variants and anatomical changes in the limbic system of aggressive people. Furthermore, functional variants of MAOA and 5-HTT are capable of mediating the influence of environmental factors on aggression-related traits. In this review, we consider genetic determinants of human aggression, with special emphasis on genes involved in serotonin and dopamine metabolism and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin A Pavlov
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, Serbsky State Research Center of Forensic and Social Psychiatry, Kropotkinsky Pereulok 23, Moscow, Russia
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Cawley J, Han E, Norton EC. The validity of genes related to neurotransmitters as instrumental variables. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2011; 20:884-888. [PMID: 21612000 DOI: 10.1002/hec.1744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
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Abstract
Although violence affects everyone, men’s health is disproportionately affected. To better understand the etiology of men’s violence, it is essential to comprehensively examine the factors influencing the development and trajectories of violence perpetration and victimization. This review offers a broad perspective on the burden of violence for men and the characteristics of individuals, relationships, communities, and society that combine to influence men’s experience with interpersonal violence, including child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence. Men’s experience with violence is influenced by physiological, emotional, and behavioral factors; relationships with family and peers; and social norms. In collaboration with professionals from other sectors, health professionals can help prevent or intervene in male’s perpetration of violence across the lifespan through identification of factors that place men at risk and referral of male patients to evidence-based prevention and intervention resources.
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McCrory E, De Brito SA, Viding E. The impact of childhood maltreatment: a review of neurobiological and genetic factors. Front Psychiatry 2011; 2:48. [PMID: 21847382 PMCID: PMC3148713 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2011] [Accepted: 07/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment represents a significant risk factor for psychopathology. Recent research has begun to examine both the functional and structural neurobiological correlates of adverse care-giving experiences, including maltreatment, and how these might impact on a child's psychological and emotional development. The relationship between such experiences and risk for psychopathology has been shown to vary as a function of genetic factors. In this review we begin by providing a brief overview of neuroendocrine findings, which indicate an association between maltreatment and atypical development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response, which may predispose to psychiatric vulnerability in adulthood. We then selectively review the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies that have investigated possible structural and functional brain differences in children and adults who have experienced childhood maltreatment. Differences in the corpus callosum identified by structural MRI have now been reliably reported in children who have experienced abuse, while differences in the hippocampus have been reported in adults with childhood histories of maltreatment. In addition, there is preliminary evidence from functional MRI studies of adults who have experienced childhood maltreatment of amygdala hyperactivity and atypical activation of frontal regions. These functional differences can be partly understood in the context of the information biases observed in event-related potential and behavioral studies of physically abused children. Finally we consider research that has indicated that the effect of environmental adversity may be moderated by genotype, reviewing pertinent studies pointing to gene by environment interactions. We conclude by exploring the extent to which the growing evidence base in relation to neurobiological and genetic research may be relevant to clinical practice and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon McCrory
- Developmental Risk and Resilience Unit, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London London, UK
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35
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Rigoni D, Pellegrini S, Mariotti V, Cozza A, Mechelli A, Ferrara SD, Pietrini P, Sartori G. How neuroscience and behavioral genetics improve psychiatric assessment: report on a violent murder case. Front Behav Neurosci 2010; 4:160. [PMID: 21031162 PMCID: PMC2965016 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2010.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2010] [Accepted: 08/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the advances in the understanding of neural and genetic foundations of violence, the investigation of the biological bases of a mental disorder is rarely included in psychiatric evaluation of mental insanity. Here we report on a case in which cognitive neuroscience and behavioral genetics methods were applied to a psychiatric forensic evaluation conducted on a young woman, J.F., tried for a violent and impulsive murder. The defendant had a history of multidrug and alcohol abuse and non-forensic clinical evaluation concluded for a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. We analyzed the defendant's brain structure in order to underlie possible brain structural abnormalities associated with pathological impulsivity. Voxel-based morphometry indexed a reduced gray matter volume in the left prefrontal cortex, in a region specifically associated with response inhibition. Furthermore, J.F.'s DNA was genotyped in order to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with various forms of violence and impulsive behavior. Five polymorphisms that are known to be associated with impulsivity, violence, and other severe psychiatric illnesses were identified in J.F.'s DNA. Taken together, these data provided evidence for the biological correlates of a mental disorder characterized by high impulsivity and aggressive tendencies. Our claim is that the use of neuroscience and behavioral genetics do not change the rationale underlying the determination of criminal liability, which must be based on a causal link between the mental disorder and the crime. Rather, their use is crucial in providing objective data on the biological bases of a defendant's mental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Rigoni
- Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, University of PaduaPadua, Italy
| | - Silvia Pellegrini
- Department of Experimental Pathology, MBIE, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Veronica Mariotti
- Department of Experimental Pathology, MBIE, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Arianna Cozza
- Department of Experimental Pathology, MBIE, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Mechelli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's CollegeLondon, UK
| | | | - Pietro Pietrini
- Department of Experimental Pathology, MBIE, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sartori
- Department of General Psychology, University of PaduaPadua, Italy
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McCrory E, De Brito SA, Viding E. Research review: the neurobiology and genetics of maltreatment and adversity. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2010; 51:1079-95. [PMID: 20546078 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02271.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The neurobiological mechanisms by which childhood maltreatment heightens vulnerability to psychopathology remain poorly understood. It is likely that a complex interaction between environmental experiences (including poor caregiving) and an individual's genetic make-up influence neurobiological development across infancy and childhood, which in turn sets the stage for a child's psychological and emotional development. This review provides a concise synopsis of those studies investigating the neurobiological and genetic factors associated with childhood maltreatment and adversity. We first provide an overview of the neuroendocrine findings, drawing from animal and human studies. These studies indicate an association between early adversity and atypical development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress response, which can predispose to psychiatric vulnerability in adulthood. We then review the neuroimaging findings of structural and functional brain differences in children and adults who have experienced childhood maltreatment. These studies offer evidence of several structural differences associated with early stress, most notably in the corpus callosum in children and the hippocampus in adults; functional studies have reported atypical activation of several brain regions, including decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex. Next we consider studies that suggest that the effect of environmental adversity may be conditional on an individual's genotype. We also briefly consider the possible role that epigenetic mechanisms might play in mediating the impact of early adversity. Finally we consider several ways in which the neurobiological and genetic research may be relevant to clinical practice and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon McCrory
- University College London (UCL), London, UK The Anna Freud Centre, London, UK
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37
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Lühken G, Glenske K, Brandt H, Erhardt G. Genetic variation in monoamine oxidase A and analysis of association with behaviour traits in beef cattle. J Anim Breed Genet 2010; 127:411-8. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2010.00855.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Wong CCY, Caspi A, Williams B, Craig IW, Houts R, Ambler A, Moffitt TE, Mill J. A longitudinal study of epigenetic variation in twins. Epigenetics 2010; 5:516-26. [PMID: 20505345 DOI: 10.4161/epi.5.6.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism involved in the developmental regulation of gene expression. Alterations in DNA methylation are established contributors to inter-individual phenotypic variation and have been associated with disease susceptibility. The degree to which changes in loci-specific DNA methylation are under the influence of heritable and environmental factors is largely unknown. In this study, we quantitatively measured DNA methylation across the promoter regions of the dopamine receptor 4 gene (DRD4), the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4/SERT) and the X-linked monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) using DNA sampled at both ages 5 and 10 years in 46 MZ twin-pairs and 45 DZ twin-pairs (total n=182). Our data suggest that DNA methylation differences are apparent already in early childhood, even between genetically identical individuals, and that individual differences in methylation are not stable over time. Our longitudinal-developmental study suggests that environmental influences are important factors accounting for interindividual DNA methylation differences, and that these influences differ across the genome. The observation of dynamic changes in DNA methylation over time highlights the importance of longitudinal research designs for epigenetic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Chung Yi Wong
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
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Osipova DV, Kulikov AV, Mekada K, Yoshiki A, Moshkin MP, Kotenkova EV, Popova NK. Distribution of the C1473G polymorphism in tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene in laboratory and wild mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 9:537-43. [PMID: 20398061 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00586.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The neurotransmitter serotonin is implicated in the regulation of various forms of behavior, including aggression, sexual behavior and stress response. The rate of brain serotonin synthesis is determined by the activity of neuronal-specific enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase 2. The missense C1473G substitution in mouse tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene has been shown to lower the enzyme activity and brain serotonin level. Here, the C1473G polymorphism was investigated in 84 common laboratory inbred strains, 39 inbred and semi-inbred strains derived from wild ancestors (mostly from Eurasia) and in 75 wild mice trapped in different locations in Russia and Armenia. Among all the classical inbred strains studied, only substrains of BALB/c, A and DBA, as well as the IITES/Nga and NZW/NSlc strains were homozygous for the 1473G allele. In contrast to laboratory strains, the 1473G allele was not present in any of the samples from wild and wild-derived mice, although the wild mice varied substantially in the C1477T neutral substitution closely linked to the C1473G polymorphism. According to these results, the frequency of the 1473G allele in natural populations does not exceed 0.5%, and the C1473G polymorphism is in fact a rare mutation that is possibly eliminated by the forces of natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- D V Osipova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
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Natarajan D, Caramaschi D. Animal violence demystified. Front Behav Neurosci 2010; 4:9. [PMID: 20407576 PMCID: PMC2854525 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2010.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2009] [Accepted: 02/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Violence has been observed in humans and animals alike, indicating its evolutionary/biological significance. However, violence in animals has often been confounded with functional forms of aggressive behavior. Currently, violence in animals is identified primarily as either a quantitative behavior (an escalated, pathological and abnormal form of aggression characterized primarily by short attack latencies, and prolonged and frequent harm-oriented conflict behaviors) or a qualitative one (characterized by attack bites aimed at vulnerable parts of the opponent's body and context independent attacks regardless of the environment or the sex and type of the opponent). Identification of an operational definition for violence thus not only helps in understanding its potential differences from adaptive forms of aggression but also in the selection of appropriate animal models for both. We address this issue theoretically by drawing parallels from research on aggression and appeasement in humans and other animals. We also provide empirical evidences for violence in mice selected for high aggression by comparing our findings with other currently available potentially violent rodent models. The following violence-specific features namely (1) Display of low levels of pre-escalatory/ritualistic behaviors. (2) Immediate and escalated offense durations with low withdrawal rates despite the opponent's submissive supine and crouching/defeat postures. (3) Context independent indiscriminate attacks aimed at familiar/unfamiliar females, anaesthetized males and opponents and in neutral environments. (4) Orientation of attack-bites toward vulnerable body parts of the opponent resulting in severe wounding. (5) Low prefrontal serotonin (5-HT) levels upon repeated aggression. (6) Low basal heart rates and hyporesponsive hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis were identified uniquely in the short attack latency (SAL) mice suggesting a qualitative difference between violence and adaptive aggression in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa Natarajan
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Biological Center, University of GroningenHaren, Netherlands
| | - Doretta Caramaschi
- Groupe de Recherche sur I'Inadaptation Psychosociale chez l'Enfant, Université de MontréalMontréal, QC, Canada
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Rommelse NNJ, Franke B, Geurts HM, Hartman CA, Buitelaar JK. Shared heritability of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2010; 19:281-95. [PMID: 20148275 PMCID: PMC2839489 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-010-0092-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 352] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2009] [Accepted: 01/08/2010] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders. Evidence indicates both disorders co-occur with a high frequency, in 20-50% of children with ADHD meeting criteria for ASD and in 30-80% of ASD children meeting criteria for ADHD. This review will provide an overview on all available studies [family based, twin, candidate gene, linkage, and genome wide association (GWA) studies] shedding light on the role of shared genetic underpinnings of ADHD and ASD. It is concluded that family and twin studies do provide support for the hypothesis that ADHD and ASD originate from partly similar familial/genetic factors. Only a few candidate gene studies, linkage studies and GWA studies have specifically addressed this co-occurrence, pinpointing to some promising pleiotropic genes, loci and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), but the research field is in urgent need for better designed and powered studies to tackle this complex issue. We propose that future studies examining shared familial etiological factors for ADHD and ASD use a family-based design in which the same phenotypic (ADHD and ASD), candidate endophenotypic, and environmental measurements are obtained from all family members. Multivariate multi-level models are probably best suited for the statistical analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanda N J Rommelse
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Reinier Postlaan 10, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Psychopathy trait scores in adolescents with childhood ADHD: the contribution of genotypes affecting MAOA, 5HTT and COMT activity. Psychiatr Genet 2009; 19:312-9. [DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0b013e3283328df4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Veenema AH. Early life stress, the development of aggression and neuroendocrine and neurobiological correlates: what can we learn from animal models? Front Neuroendocrinol 2009; 30:497-518. [PMID: 19341763 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2008] [Revised: 03/16/2009] [Accepted: 03/18/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (child and adolescent abuse, neglect and trauma) induces robust alterations in emotional and social functioning resulting in enhanced risk for the development of psychopathologies such as mood and aggressive disorders. Here, an overview is given on recent findings in primate and rodent models of early life stress, demonstrating that chronic deprivation of early maternal care as well as chronic deprivation of early physical interactions with peers are profound risk factors for the development of inappropriate aggressive behaviors. Alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA), vasopressin and serotonin systems and their relevance for the regulation of aggression are discussed. Data suggest that social deprivation-induced inappropriate forms of aggression are associated with high or low HPA axis (re)activity and a generally lower functioning of the serotonin system in adulthood. Moreover, genetic and epigenetic modifications in HPA and serotonin systems influence the outcome of early life stress and may even moderate adverse effects of early social deprivation on aggression. A more comprehensive study of aggression, neuroendocrine, neurobiological and (epi)genetic correlates of early life stress using animal models is necessary to provide a better understanding of the invasive aggressive deficits observed in humans exposed to child maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa H Veenema
- Department of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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Pietrini P, Bambini V. Homo ferox: The contribution of functional brain studies to understanding the neural bases of aggressive and criminal behavior. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW AND PSYCHIATRY 2009; 32:259-265. [PMID: 19477522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2009.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
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Schizophrenia and birthplace of paternal and maternal grandfather in the Jerusalem perinatal cohort prospective study. Schizophr Res 2009; 111:23-31. [PMID: 19361958 PMCID: PMC2716070 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2009.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2008] [Revised: 03/11/2009] [Accepted: 03/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Some forms of epigenetic abnormalities transmitted to offspring are manifested in differences in disease incidence that depend on parent-of-origin. To explore whether such phenomena might operate in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, we estimated the relative incidence of these conditions in relation to parent-of-origin by considering the two grandfathers' countries of birth. In a prospective cohort of 88,829 offspring, born in Jerusalem in 1964-76 we identified 637 cases through Israel's psychiatric registry. Relative risks (RR) were estimated for paternal and maternal grandfathers' countries of birth using proportional hazards methods, controlling for parents' ages, low social class and duration of marriage. After adjusting for multiple observations, we found no significant differences between descendants of maternal or paternal grandfathers born in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya/Egypt, Poland, USSR, Czechoslovakia, Germany or the USA. Those with paternal grandfathers from Romania (RR=1.9, 95% CI=1.3-2.8) or Hungary (1.6, 1.0-2.6) showed an increased incidence; however, those with maternal grandfathers from these countries experienced reduced incidence (RR=0.5, 0.3-0.8 and 0.4, 0.2-0.8). In post-hoc analyses we found that results were similar whether the comparison groups were restricted to descendants of other Europeans or included those from Western Asia and North Africa; and effects of paternal grandfathers from Romania/Hungary were more pronounced in females, while effects of maternal grandfathers from these countries were similar in males and females. These post-hoc "hypothesis-generating" findings lead one to question whether some families with ancestors in Romania or Hungary might carry a variant or mutation at a parentally imprinted locus that is altering susceptibility to schizophrenia. Such a locus, if it exists, might involve the X chromosome.
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Rommelse NNJ, Altink ME, Arias-Vásquez A, Buschgens CJM, Fliers E, Faraone SV, Buitelaar JK, Sergeant JA, Oosterlaan J, Franke B. Differential association between MAOA, ADHD and neuropsychological functioning in boys and girls. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2008; 147B:1524-30. [PMID: 18726986 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more common in boys than in girls. It has been hypothesized that this sex difference might be related to genes on the X-chromosome, like Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA). Almost all studies on the role of MAOA in ADHD have focused predominantly on boys, making it unknown whether MAOA also has an effect on ADHD in girls, and few studies have investigated the relationship between MAOA and neuropsychological functioning, yet this may provide insight into the pathways leading from genotype to phenotype. The current study set out to examine the relationship between MAOA, ADHD, and neuropsychological functioning in both boys (265 boys with ADHD and 89 male non-affected siblings) and girls (85 girls with ADHD and 106 female non-affected siblings). A haplotype was used based on three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs12843268, rs3027400, and rs1137070). Two haplotypes (GGC and ATT) captured 97% of the genetic variance in the investigated MAOA SNPs. The ATT haplotype was more common in non-affected siblings (P = 0.025), conferring a protective effect for ADHD in both boys and girls. The target and direction of the MAOA effect on neuropsychological functioning was different in boys and girls: The ATT haplotype was associated with poorer motor control in boys (P = 0.002), but with better visuo-spatial working memory in girls (P = 0.01). These findings suggest that the genetic and neuropsychological mechanisms underlying ADHD may be different in boys and girls and underline the importance of taking into account sex effects when studying ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanda N J Rommelse
- Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Loat CS, Haworth CMA, Plomin R, Craig IW. A model incorporating potential skewed X-inactivation in MZ girls suggests that X-linked QTLs exist for several social behaviours including autism spectrum disorder. Ann Hum Genet 2008; 72:742-51. [PMID: 18665976 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1809.2008.00470.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in the frequency and patterns of behaviours are frequently observed and largely unexplained. We have investigated the possible role of X-linked genes in the aetiology of social behaviour problems, including those involved in autistic spectrum disorders. A novel approach has been implemented. This is based on predictions following from stochastic patterns of X-inactivation of lower concordance of monozygous female (MZF) twins than MZM twins for behaviours underpinned by X-linked QTLs and the converse that DZF twins are expected to correlate more strongly for X-linked traits than DZM twins because unlike males, females always have at least one X chromosome in common. These expectations were tested in an ongoing longitudinal cohort study in which all twins born in England and Wales between 1994 and 1996 were invited to take part. 1000 each of MZF, MZM, DZF and DZM pairs from TEDS were tested at 7 and 8 years of age. The results suggest the persistent influence of X-linked genes on cognition and social behaviour problems, including those involved in autistic spectrum disorders, from early to middle childhood. This emphasises the potential importance of X-linked genes in the developmental trajectories of behaviour and mental health and the need to stratify genetic analysis of behaviours by gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Loat
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, England
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Abstract
The genetic deletion of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A), an enzyme that breaks down the monoamine neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, produces aggressive phenotypes across species. Therefore, a common polymorphism in the MAO A gene (MAOA, Mendelian Inheritance in Men database number 309850, referred to as high or low based on transcription in non-neuronal cells) has been investigated in a number of externalizing behavioral and clinical phenotypes. These studies provide evidence linking the low MAOA genotype and violent behavior but only through interaction with severe environmental stressors during childhood. Here, we hypothesized that in healthy adult males the gene product of MAO A in the brain, rather than the gene per se, would be associated with regulating the concentration of brain amines involved in trait aggression. Brain MAO A activity was measured in vivo in healthy nonsmoking men with positron emission tomography using a radioligand specific for MAO A (clorgyline labeled with carbon 11). Trait aggression was measured with the multidimensional personality questionnaire (MPQ). Here we report for the first time that brain MAO A correlates inversely with the MPQ trait measure of aggression (but not with other personality traits) such that the lower the MAO A activity in cortical and subcortical brain regions, the higher the self-reported aggression (in both MAOA genotype groups) contributing to more than one-third of the variability. Because trait aggression is a measure used to predict antisocial behavior, these results underscore the relevance of MAO A as a neurochemical substrate of aberrant aggression.
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Hodgkinson CA, Yuan Q, Xu K, Shen PH, Heinz E, Lobos EA, Binder EB, Cubells J, Ehlers CL, Gelernter J, Mann J, Riley B, Roy A, Tabakoff B, Todd RD, Zhou Z, Goldman D. Addictions biology: haplotype-based analysis for 130 candidate genes on a single array. Alcohol Alcohol 2008; 43:505-15. [PMID: 18477577 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agn032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS To develop a panel of markers able to extract full haplotype information for candidate genes in alcoholism, other addictions and disorders of mood and anxiety. METHODS A total of 130 genes were haplotype tagged and genotyped in 7 case/control populations and 51 reference populations using Illumina GoldenGate SNP genotyping technology, determining haplotype coverage. We also constructed and determined the efficacy of a panel of 186 ancestry informative markers. RESULTS An average of 1465 loci were genotyped at an average completion rate of 91.3%, with an average call rate of 98.3% and replication rate of 99.7%. Completion and call rates were lowered by the performance of two datasets, highlighting the importance of the DNA quality in high throughput assays. A comparison of haplotypes captured by the Addictions Array tagging SNPs and commercially available whole-genome arrays from Illumina and Affymetrix shows comparable performance of the tag SNPs to the best whole-genome array in all populations for which data are available. CONCLUSIONS Arrays of haplotype-tagged candidate genes, such as this addictions-focused array, represent a cost-effective approach to generate high-quality SNP genotyping data useful for the haplotype-based analysis of panels of genes such as these 130 genes of interest to alcohol and addictions researchers. The inclusion of the 186 ancestry informative markers allows for the detection and correction for admixture and further enhances the utility of the array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin A Hodgkinson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 3S32 MSC9412, Rockville, MD 20852-1728, USA.
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