scholarly journals Monoamine oxidase A and childhood adversity as risk factors for conduct disorder in females

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. C. Prom-Wormley ◽  
L. J. Eaves ◽  
D. L. Foley ◽  
C. O. Gardner ◽  
K. J. Archer ◽  
...  

BackgroundRecent studies among males have reported a genotype–environment interaction (G×E) in which low-activity alleles at the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) locus conferred greater sensitivity to the effects of childhood adversity on risk for conduct disorder (CD). So far, few studies of females have controlled for gene–environment correlation or used females heterozygous for this X-linked gene.MethodLogistic regression analysis of a sample of 721 females ages 8–17 years from the longitudinal Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) assessed the additive effects of MAOA genotypes on risk for CD, together with the main effect of childhood adversity and parental antisocial personality disorder (ASP), as well as the interaction of MAOA with childhood adversity on risk for CD.ResultsA significant main effect of genotype on risk for CD was detected, where low-activity MAOA imparted the greatest risk to CD in girls while controlling for the significant effects of maternal ASP and childhood adversity. Significant G×E with weak effect was detected when environmental exposure was untransformed, indicating a higher sensitivity to childhood adversity in the presence of the high-activity MAOA allele. The interaction was no longer statistically significant after applying a ridit transformation to reflect the sample sizes exposed at each level of childhood adversity.ConclusionsThe main effect of MAOA on risk for CD in females, its absence in males and directional difference of interaction is suggestive of genotype–sex interaction. As the effect of G×E on risk for CD was weak, its inclusion is not justified.

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1161-1180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dante Cicchetti ◽  
Fred A. Rogosch ◽  
Melissa L. Sturge-Apple

AbstractChild maltreatment and polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) genes were examined in relation to depressive symptomatology. Adolescents (Mage = 16.7 years) from low socioeconomic backgrounds with a history of child maltreatment (n= 207) or no such history (n= 132) were interviewed and provided buccal cells for genetic analysis. Gene × environment interactions were observed. Heightened depressive symptoms were found only among extensively maltreated youth with lowMAOAactivity. Among comparably maltreated youth with highMAOAactivity, self-coping strategies related to lower symptoms. Sexual abuse and the5-HTT short/shortgenotype predicted higher depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. This Gene × Environment interaction was further moderated byMAOAactivity level. The results highlight the protective functions of genetic polymorphisms and coping strategies in high risk youth and offer direction for understanding resilience and its promotion from a multiple levels of analysis perspective.


Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Meng-Che Tsai ◽  
Kai-Jyun Jhang ◽  
Chih-Ting Lee ◽  
Yu-Fang Lin ◽  
Carol Strong ◽  
...  

We aimed to investigate the effects of childhood adversity and its interaction with the polymorphisms in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genes on attention and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a community sample of generally healthy youth. Participants (N = 432) completed questionnaires assessing ADHD symptoms (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness) and adverse childhood experiences, such as adverse environments (AEs) and childhood maltreatment (CM). Salivary genomic DNA was used to test polymorphisms in MAOA, BDNF, and COMT genes. A gene score (GS) was created based on the number of risk allele in the studied genes. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the genetic and environmental effects on ADHD symptoms. The univariate analysis indicated that CM was significantly associated with inattention (β = 0.48 [95% confidence interval 0.16–0.79]), hyperactivity (0.25 [0.06–0.45]), and impulsiveness (1.16 [0.26–2.05]), while the GS was associated with hyperactivity (0.22 [0.11–0.33]) and impulsiveness (0.56 [0.06–1.05]). Only the GS remained significantly associated with hyperactivity (0.25 [0.12–0.37]) and impulsiveness (0.79 [0.20–1.38]) when the gene-environment interaction term was added in the model. No effects were found for AE and the gene-environment interaction term. In conclusion, CM was associated with ADHD symptoms in emerging adulthood. Genetic factors may also play a significant role in the association with these outcomes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 544-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venla S. Laitala ◽  
Jacob Hjelmborg ◽  
Markku Koskenvuo ◽  
Ismo Räihä ◽  
Juha O. Rinne ◽  
...  

We analyzed the association between mean height and old age cognition in two Nordic twin cohorts with different childhood living conditions. The cognitive performance of 4720 twin individuals from Denmark (mean age 81.6 years, SD = 4.59) and Finland (mean age 74.4 years, SD = 5.26) was measured using validated cognitive screens. Taller height was associated with better cognitive performance in Finland (β-estimates 0.18 SD/10cm, p value < .001, for men and 0.13 SD, p = .008, for women), but this association was not significant in Denmark (β-estimates 0.0093 SD, p value = .16, for men and 0.0075 SD, p value = .016, for women) when adjusted for age and education/social class. Among Finnish participants higher variability of cognitive performance within shorter height quintiles was observed. Analysis using gene-environment interaction models showed that environmental factors exerted a greater impact on cognitive performance in shorter participants, whereas in taller participants' it was explained mainly by genetic factors. Our results suggest that shorter participants with childhood adversity are more vulnerable to environmental risk factors for cognitive impairment.


2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Kiive ◽  
Kariina Laas ◽  
Kirsti Akkermann ◽  
Erika Comasco ◽  
Lars Oreland ◽  
...  

ObjectiveMonoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene promoter region includes a variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) associated with antisocial behaviour in adverse environment. We have examined the effect of the MAOA-uVNTR on mental health and academic success by using a population representative sample and a longitudinal design.MethodsThe data of the older cohort (n = 593, aged 15 years at the original sampling) of the longitudinal Estonian Children Personality, Behaviour and Health Study (ECPBHS) were used. Follow-ups were conducted at ages 18 and 25 years. Aggressiveness, inattention and hyperactivity were reported by class teachers or, at older age, self-reported. Stressful life events, psychological environment in the family and interactions between family members were self-reported. Data of general mental abilities and education were obtained at the age of 25, and lifetime psychiatric disorder assessment was carried out with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) interview.ResultsMAOA-uVNTR genotype had no independent effect on aggressiveness, hyperactive and inattentive symptoms, and neither was there a genotype interaction with adverse life events. Interestingly, the proportion of male subjects with higher education by the age of 25 was significantly larger among those with MAOA low-activity alleles (χ2 = 7.13; p = 0.008). Logistic regression revealed that MAOA low-activity alleles, higher mental abilities, occurrence of anxiety disorders and absence of substance-use disorder were significant independent predictors for higher education in male subjects.ConclusionsIn a population representative sample of young subjects, the MAOA-uVNTR ‘risk genotype’ predicted better life outcomes as expressed in higher level of education.


Genetika ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naser Sabaghnia ◽  
Rahmatollah Karimizadeh ◽  
Mohtasham Mohammadi

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important source of protein and carbohydrate food for people of developing countries and is popular in some developed countries where they are perceived as a healthy component of the diet. Ten lentil genotypes were tested for grain yield in five different environmental conditions, over two consecutive years to classify thes genotypes for yield stability. Seed yield of lentil genotypes ranged from 989.3 to 1.367 kg ha-1 and the linear regression coefficient ranged from 0.75 to 1.18. The combined analysis of variance showed that the effect of environment (E) and genotype by environment (GE) interaction were highly significant while the main effect of genotype (G) was significant at 0.05 probability level. Four different cluster procedures were used for grouping genotypes and environments. According to dendograms of regression methods for lentil genotypes there were two different genotypic groups based on G plus GE or GE sources. Also, the dendograms of ANOVA methods indicated 5 groups based on G and GE sources and 4 groups based on GE sources. According to dendograms of regression methods for environments there were 5 different groups based on G plus GE sources while the dendograms of ANOVA methods indicated 9 groups based on G and GE sources and 3 groups based on GE sources. The mentioned groups were determined via F-test as an empirical stopping criterion for clustering. The most responsive genotypes with high mean yield genotypes are G2 (1145.3 kg ha-1), G8 (1200.2 kg ha-1) and G9 (1267.9 kg ha-1) and could be recommended as the most favorable genotypes for farmers.


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