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Cited by 50Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual OffendingChild Abuse and TraumaNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Effects of the MAOA gene and levels of exposure to violence on antisocial outcomes

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Ouellet-Morin, Isabelle, Côté, Sylvana M., Vitaro, Frank, Hébert, Martine, Carbonneau, René, Lacourse, Éric, Turecki, Gustavo, Tremblay, Richard E.·2016·British Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.162081
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Abstract

Background: The monoamine oxidase A ( MAOA ) gene has been shown to moderate the impact of maltreatment on antisocial behaviour. Replication efforts have, however, yielded inconsistent results. Aims: To investigate whether the interaction between the MAOA gene and violence is present across the full distribution of violence or emerges at higher levels of exposure. Method: Participants were 327 male members of the Québec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children. Exposure to violence comprised retrospective reports of mother's and father's maltreatment, sexual and physical abuse. Conduct disorder and antisocial personality symptoms were assessed in semi-structured interviews and partner violence, property-violent crimes and arrest were self-reported. Results: Non-linear interactions between the MAOA gene and violence were detected, suggesting that the genetic moderation may come about once a certain level of violence is experienced. Conclusions: Future studies should investigate the mechanisms translating substantial violence exposure, which could, subsequently, trigger the expression of genetically based differences in antisocial behaviour.

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  • Low activity of the MAOA gene, significantly associated with ADHD in 65% of studies, increases children's sensitivity to adverse environments and amplifies the risk of conduct disorders.

    “low activity of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene, which was found to be signi fi cantly associated with ADHD in 65% of the studies, seems to increase the children ' s sensitivity to adverse environments, amplifying the risk of conduct disorders”

    From ADHD, CD, and ODD: Systematic review of genetic and environmental risk factors (2018) · cites this paper as Ouellet-Morin et al., 2016

    The Discussion and the section on interactions between violence and MAOA report that MAOA variants moderated antisocial outcomes, including conduct disorder symptoms, in young males exposed to higher levels of violence. The paper also describes earlier findings concerning a low-activity MAOA allele and childhood maltreatment. It does not report that low MAOA activity was associated with ADHD in 65% of studies, and its own results concern low-frequency alleles rather than establishing their activity level. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

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Authors
Ouellet-Morin, I., Côté, S. M., Vitaro, F., Hébert, M., Carbonneau, R., Lacourse, É., Turecki, G., & Tremblay, R. E.
Affiliations
  • Inserm (FR)
  • University College Dublin (IE)
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Published
2016-01
Volume
208
Issue
1
Pages
42-48
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
DOI
10.1192/bjp.bp.114.162081
OpenAlex
W2178172057
Cited by
50
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3
FWCI
8.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 732 d)
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
monoamine oxidase A, gene-environment interaction, violence exposure, antisocial behavior, conduct disorder, child abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, intimate partner violence, violent crime, arrests
MeSH terms
Exposure to Violence, Adolescent, Adult, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Child, Child Abuse, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Monoamine Oxidase, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Quebec, Retrospective Studies, Conduct Disorder, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Young Adult, Gene-Environment Interaction

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