title: Possible association between serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism and extremely violent crime in Chinese males.
abstract: The neurotransmitter, serotonin, has been implicated in aggressive behavior. The serotonin transporter (5-HTT), which reuptakes serotonin into the nerve terminal, plays a critical role in the regulation of serotonergic function. Previous western reports have demonstrated that the low-activity short (S) allele of the 5-HTT gene-linked polymorphic-region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism is associated with aggressive behavior and associated personality traits. In the present study, we investigated this 5-HTTLPR genetic polymorphism in a group of Chinese males who had been convicted for extremely violent crime (n = 135) and a normal control group (n = 111). The proportion of S-allele carriers was significantly higher in the criminal group than in the controls (p = 0.006). A significant association was not demonstrated for the relationship between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and antisocial personality disorder, substance abuse or alcohol abuse in the criminal group. Our findings demonstrate that carriage of the low-activity S allele is associated with extremely violent criminal behavior in Chinese males, and suggests that the 5-HTT may be implicated in the mechanisms underlying violent behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychiatry, Pali Psychiatric Hospital, Central Taiwan Office, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ding-Lieh
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chen-Jee
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Hao-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Shih-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003415:Crime; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014754:Violence / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins