Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 51, Issue 2 , Pages 130-134 , March 2010

Monoamine oxidase A genotype is associated with gang membership and weapon use

  • Kevin M. Beaver

      Affiliations

    • College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1127, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 850 644 9180; fax: +1 850 644 9614.
    • ,
  • Matt DeLisi

      Affiliations

    • Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50111, USA
    • ,
  • Michael G. Vaughn

      Affiliations

    • School of Social Work, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Department of Public Health Studies, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA
    • ,
  • J.C. Barnes

      Affiliations

    • College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1127, USA

References 

  1. Caspi A, McClay J, Moffitt TE, Mill J, Martin J, Craig IW, et al. Role of genotype in the cycle of violence in maltreated children. Science. 2002;297:851–854
  2. Kim-Cohen J, Caspi A, Taylor A, Williams B, Newcombe R, Craig IW, et al. Maltreatment, and gene-environment interactions predicting children's mental health: new evidence and a meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry. 2006;11:903–913
  3. Brunner HG, Nelen M, Breakefield XO, Ropers HH, van Oost BA. Abnormal behavior associated with a point mutation in the structural gene for monoamine oxidase A. Science. 1993;262:578–580
  4. Samochowiec J, Lesch K-P, Rottman M, Smolka M, Syagailo V, Okladnova O, et al. Association of a regulatory polymorphism in the promoter region of the MAOA gene with antisocial alcoholism. Psychiatry Res. 1999;86:67–72
  5. Cohen IL, Liu X, Schutz C, White BN, Jenkins EC, Brown WT, et al. Association of autism severity with a monoamine oxidase A functional polymorphism. Clin Genet. 2003;64:190–197
  6. Widom CS, Brzustowicz LM. MAOA and the “cycle of violence”: childhood abuse and neglect, MAOA genotype, and risk for violent and antisocial behavior. Biol Psychiatry. 2006;60:684–689
  7. Huizinga D, Haberstick BC, Smolen A, Menard S, Young SE, Corley RP, et al. Childhood maltreatment, subsequent antisocial behavior, and the role of MAOA genotype. Biol Psychiatry. 2006;60:677–683
  8. Meyer-Lindenberg A, Buckholtz JW, Kolachana B, Hariri AR, Pezawas L, Blasi G, et al. Neural mechanisms of genetic risk for impulsivity and violence in humans. Proc Nat Acad Sci U S A. 2006;103:6269–6274
  9. Harris KM, Florey F, Tabor J, Bearman PS, Jones J, Udry JR. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health: Research Design. http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth/designAccessed September 5, 2008
  10. Resnick M, Bearman P, Blum R, Bauman K, Harris K, Jones J, et al. Protecting adolescents from harm: findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. J Am Med Assoc. 1997;278:823–832
  11. Levy ER, Powell JF, Buckle VJ, Hsu YP, Breakefield XO, Craig IW. Localization of human monoamine oxidase-A gene to Xp11.23-11.4 by in situ hybridization: implications for Norrie disease. Genomics. 1989;5:368–370
  12. Sabol S, Hus S, Hamer D. A functional polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A gene promoter. Hum Genet. 1998;103:273–279
  13. Haberstick BC, Lessem JM, Hopfer CJ, Smolen A, Ehringer MA, Timberlake D, et al. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and antisocial behaviors in the presence of childhood and adolescent maltreatment. Am J Med Genet. 2005;135B(1):59–64
  14. Esbensen F-A, Huizinga D. Gangs, drugs, and delinquency in a survey of urban youth. Criminology. 1993;31:565–590
  15. Beaver KM, Wright JP, DeLisi M, Walsh A, Vaughn MG, Boisvert D, et al. A gene x gene interaction between DRD2 and DRD4 is associated with conduct disorder and antisocial behavior in males. Behav Brain Funct. 2007;3:30
  16. Bell, KE. Gender and gangs: A quantitative comparison. Crime and Delinquency. Forthcoming.
  17. DuBois DL, Silverthorn N. Natural mentoring relationships and adolescent health: evidence from a national study. Am J Public Health. 2005;95(3):518–524
  18. Esbensen F-A, Winfree LT, He N, Taylor TJ. Youth gangs and definitional issues: when is a gang a gang, and why does it matter?. J Res Crime Delinq. 2001;47:105–130
  19. Jaffee SR, Price TS. Gene-Environment correlations: a review of the evidence and implications for prevention of mental illness. Mol Psychiatry. 2004;12:432–442

PII: S0010-440X(09)00049-2

doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.03.010

Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 51, Issue 2 , Pages 130-134 , March 2010

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