Interacting effect of MAOA genotype and maternal prenatal smoking on aggressive behavior in young adulthood.
Findings on the etiology of aggressive behavior have provided evidence for an effect both of genetic factors, such as variation in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene, and adverse environmental factors. Recent studies have supported the existence of gene × environment interactions, with early experiences playing a key role. In the present study, the effects of prenatal nicotine exposure, MAOA genotype and their interaction on aggressive behavior during young adulthood were examined. In a sample of 272 young adults (129 males, 143 females) from an epidemiological cohort study, smoking during pregnancy was measured with a standardized parent interview at the offspring's age of 3 months. Aggressive behavior was assessed between the ages of 19 and 25 years using the Young Adult Self-Report. DNA was genotyped for the MAOA 5' untranslated region variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism (VNTR). Results revealed a significant interaction between MAOA and smoking during pregnancy, indicating higher levels of aggressive behavior in young adults carrying the MAOA low-expressing genotype who had experienced prenatal nicotine exposure (n = 8, p = .025). In contrast, in carriers of the MAOA high-expressing genotype, maternal smoking during pregnancy had no effect on aggressive behavior during young adulthood (n = 20, p = .145). This study extends earlier findings demonstrating an interaction between MAOA genotype and prenatal nicotine exposure on aggressive behavior into young adulthood. The results point to the long-term adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy on the offspring's mental health, possibly underlining the importance of smoking cessation during pregnancy. According to the nature of the study (particularly sample size and power), analyses are exploratory and results need to be interpreted cautiously.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Sarah
S
Hohmann
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Katrin
K
Zohsel
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Arlette F
AF
Buchmann
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Dorothea
D
Blomeyer
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Nathalie
N
Holz
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Regina
R
Boecker-Schlier
Department of Biostatistics, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Christine
C
Jennen-Steinmetz
Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Marcella
M
Rietschel
Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Stephanie H
SH
Witt
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Martin H
MH
Schmidt
Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
Günter
G
Esser
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Andreas
A
Meyer-Lindenberg
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Tobias
T
Banaschewski
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.|Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.|Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Daniel
D
Brandeis
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Erika
E
Hohm
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany. manfred.laucht@zi-mannheim.de.|Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany. manfred.laucht@zi-mannheim.de.
Manfred
0000-0003-1056-1138
M
Laucht
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; C579458:monoamine oxidase A, human
Aggression; Interaction; Longitudinal; MAOA; Smoking during pregnancy; Young adulthood