Background
Two recent studies with white males have shown that genotypes associated with high
levels of monamine oxidase A (MAOA) protect against the impact of childhood maltreatment
and adversity on the development of antisocial behavior and conduct disorder.
Methods
Participants in a prospective cohort design study involving court substantiated cases
of child abuse and neglect and a matched comparison group were followed up into adulthood
and interviewed (N = 802). Eighty-two percent consented to provide blood and 631 gave
permission for DNA extraction and analyses. A composite index of violent and antisocial
behavior (VASB) was created based on arrest, self-report, and diagnostic information.
Results
No main effect was found for the relationship between MAOA genotype and VASB. Genotypes
associated with high levels of MAOA activity buffered abused and neglected whites
from increased risk of becoming violent and/or antisocial in later life. This protective
effect was not found for non-white abused and neglected individuals.
Conclusions
Possible explanations for this differential effect for whites and non-whites include
differences in contextual factors (e.g., environmental stressors) and a question of
the suitability of using the MAOA promoter VNTR polymorphism as a proxy for MAOA levels
in non-white populations.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 29, 2006
Accepted:
March 28,
2006
Received in revised form:
March 23,
2006
Received:
October 24,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
