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Psychiatric Quarterly
Published in: Psychiatric Quarterly 4/2018

01-12-2018 | Original Paper

The relationship between the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism, delinquent peer affiliation, and antisocial behavior with a consideration of sex differences

Authors: Eric M. Cooke, Todd Armstrong, Danielle Boisvert, Jessica Wells, Richard H. Lewis, Sheree Hughes-Stamm, David Gangitano

Published in: Psychiatric Quarterly | Issue 4/2018

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Abstract

With the advent of new and more readily usable gene sequencing techniques, researchers have been able to examine the interactions between genes and the environment (G X E) within a multitude of scientific perspectives. One area that G X E interactions have been implicated in is the development of antisocial behavior (ASB). Antisocial behavior consists of a wide range of maladaptive behaviors and has been at the forefront of public health and mental health concerns for decades. One genetic polymorphism that has been associated with ASB is MAOA-uVNTR. Meta-analytic studies have found the low-activity MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism to be associated with ASB from early childhood through adulthood. Recently, studies have begun to examine the independent and interactive G X E relationship between MAOA-uVNTR and deviant peer affiliation on ASB. Inconsistent with the broader literature, these findings suggest an interaction between high-activity MAOA-uVNTR and deviant peer affiliation on ASB in a mixed sex sample. The current study re-examines the relationship between MAOA-uVNTR, peer delinquency, and ASB with a consideration of sex differences in 291 college participants. Findings indicate an interaction between the low-activity allele of the MAOA-uVNTR and peer delinquency in predicting ASB. Results are also specific to differences between the sexes. Implications and future research are discussed.
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Footnotes
1
The necessity for replication across demographic groups is demonstrated by the racial stratification of risk alleles and by variation across race in the influence of the MAOA-uVNTR on behavior. For example, Stetler et al. [32] found the association between the MAOA-uVNTR and criminal behavior was stronger among Caucasians than among African Americans. As racial stratification of MAOA functioning may potentially influence the results of the current study, all analyses were replicated with the samples restricted to Hispanics and Caucasians. Substantive results were the same for the combined Hispanic and Caucasian sample and in the group specific samples. Therefore, only results for the combined Hispanic and Caucasian sample are reported
 
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Metadata
Title
The relationship between the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism, delinquent peer affiliation, and antisocial behavior with a consideration of sex differences
Authors
Eric M. Cooke
Todd Armstrong
Danielle Boisvert
Jessica Wells
Richard H. Lewis
Sheree Hughes-Stamm
David Gangitano
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Psychiatric Quarterly / Issue 4/2018
Print ISSN: 0033-2720
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6709
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-018-9582-7

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