Serotonin Transporter Polymorphisms and Persistent, Pervasive Childhood Aggression
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the potential association of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene and childhood aggression by testing the 5-HTT variable-number-tandem-repeat and serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR), including the recently discovered Lg allelic variant of 5-HTTLPR. METHOD: Clinically referred children displaying extreme aggression, with a minimum 2-year history, were genotyped for 5-HTTLPR (N=77) and 5-HTT variable-number-tandem-repeat (N=78). Analyses compared genotype frequencies of the aggressive children with healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: The "low expressing" genotypic variants of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism (S/S, Lg/S, Lg/Lg) were significantly associated with childhood aggression. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to report a significant association between the 5-HTTLPR gene and childhood aggression.
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Beitchman and colleagues reported a significant effect of 5-HTTLPR on aggression with the low expressing (S/S, Lg/S, Lg/Lg) genotypes in children with clinically severe aggression.
“On the other hand, Beitchman and colleagues [86] reported a significant effect of 5-HTTLPR on aggression with the low expressing (S/S, Lg/S, Lg/Lg) genotypes in children with clinically severe aggression.”
From Genetics of child aggression, a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [86]
Neither the SLC6A4 VNTR nor the TPH2 rs4570625 polymorphism demonstrated significant associations with childhood aggression.
“Neither the SLC6A4 VNTR [86] nor the TPH2 rs4570625 polymorphism [91] demonstrated significant associations with childhood aggression.”
From Genetics of child aggression, a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [86]
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References 22 · Cited by 167
- Authors
- Beitchman, J. H., Baldassarra, L., Mik, H., De Luca, V., King, N., Bender, D., Ehtesham, S., & Kennedy, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- ORCID
- Kennedy, James L.
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 2006-06
- Volume
- 163
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1103-1105
- ISSN
- 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
- 1535-7228
- OpenAlex
- W1988816787
- Cited by
- 167
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 5.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- serotonin transporter, 5-HTTLPR, variable number tandem repeats, child aggression, genetic polymorphism, genotype association, aggressive children
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Aggression, Child, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Child, Preschool, Female, Genotype, Humans, Male, Polymorphism, Genetic, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Tandem Repeat Sequences, Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
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