Monoamine oxidases: activities, genotypes and the shaping of behaviour.
The importance of an interaction between environment and biological factors for the expression for a particular behaviour is illustrated by results from a series of adolescents in which effects of platelet MAO activity and psychosocial environment on criminality was investigated. In a favourable environment platelet MAO-B activity was not associated with criminality, while a very strong association was found in adolescents from a bad psychosocial environment. Essentially similar findings were obtained when a MAO-A promoter polymorphism was analysed instead of platelet MAO-B activity. In boys, presence of the low functioning allele seemed to be protective against criminal activity in combination with a good environment, while it predisposed for criminality in a bad psycho-social environment. In girls, instead, homozygosity for the high activity MAO-A allele interacted with environment to predict criminality. Possible mechanisms underlying the role of monoamine oxidases for behaviour are discussed.
Oreland
L
L
Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. lars.oreland@neuro.uu.se
Nilsson
K
K
Damberg
M
M
Hallman
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology
D008995:Monoamine Oxidase