Platelet monoamine oxidase B activity did not predict destructive personality traits or violent recidivism: a prospective study in male forensic psychiatric examinees.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective study was designed to replicate previous findings of an association between the platelet monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) activity and factors of relevance for criminal behaviour in a well-documented clinical study population.


METHODS
Subjects (n = 77, aged 17-76 years, median 30 years) were recruited among consecutive perpetrators of severe interpersonal violent and/or sexual crimes referred to forensic psychiatric investigation. Participants were extensively investigated by structured psychiatric, psychological and social workups, including state-of-the-art rating instruments and official records, and with laboratory tests including venous blood sampling for determination of MAO-B activity. A subset of 36 individuals had lumbar punctures to measure cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of monoamine neurotransmitter metabolites.


RESULTS
Platelet MAO-B activity did not show any significant correlation with assessments of childhood behavioural disorders, substance abuse, or psychosocial adversity, nor with any crime-related factors, such as scores on the Life History of Aggression Scale, the Psychopathy Checklist or recidivistic violent crime. No significant correlation was found between MAO-B and any of the monoamine metabolites. Analyses in subgroups of smokers/non-smokers did not change this overall result.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study did not support the use of MAO-B as a biological marker for aggression-related personality traits or as a predictor for violent recidivism among violent offenders.
Gustavson
Christina
C
Forensic Psychiatry, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Wass
Caroline
C
Mansson
Jan-Eric
JE
Blennow
Kaj
K
Forsman
Anders
A
Anckarsater
Henrik
H
Nilsson
Thomas
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D003415:Crime; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000097:blood*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D008995:Monoamine Oxidase