Citation
Haberstick, Brett C.; Lessem, Jeffrey M.; Hewitt, John K.; Smolen, Andrew; Hopfer, Christian J.; Halpern, Carolyn Tucker; Killeya-Jones, Ley A.; Boardman, Jason D.; Tabor, Joyce W.; & Siegler, Ilene C., et al. (2014). MAOA Genotype, Childhood Maltreatment, and Their Interaction in the Etiology of Adult Antisocial Behaviors. Biological Psychiatry, 75(1), 25-30. PMCID: PMC3815496Abstract
BACKGROUND: Maltreatment by an adult or caregiver during childhood is a prevalent and important predictor of antisocial behaviors in adulthood. A functional promoter polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been implicated as a moderating factor in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and antisocial behaviors. Although there have been numerous attempts at replicating this observation, results remain inconclusive.METHODS: We examined this gene-environment interaction hypothesis in a sample of 3356 white and 960 black men (aged 24-34) participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
RESULTS: Primary analysis indicated that childhood maltreatment was a significant risk factor for later behaviors that violate rules and the rights of others (p < .05), there were no main effects of MAOA genotype, and MAOA genotype was not a significant moderator of the relationship between maltreatment and antisocial behaviors in our white sample. Post hoc analyses identified a similar pattern of results among our black sample in which maltreatment was not a significant predictor of antisocial behavior. Post hoc analyses also revealed a main effect of MAOA genotype on having a disposition toward violence in both samples and for violent convictions among our black sample. None of these post hoc findings, however, survived correction for multiple testing (p > .05). Power analyses indicated that these results were not due to insufficient statistical power.
CONCLUSIONS: We could not confirm the hypothesis that MAOA genotype moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adult antisocial behaviors.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.03.028Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2014Journal Title
Biological PsychiatryAuthor(s)
Haberstick, Brett C.Lessem, Jeffrey M.
Hewitt, John K.
Smolen, Andrew
Hopfer, Christian J.
Halpern, Carolyn Tucker
Killeya-Jones, Ley A.
Boardman, Jason D.
Tabor, Joyce W.
Siegler, Ilene C.
Williams, Redford B.
Harris, Kathleen Mullan