Evidence of Cumulative Serotonergic Genes as Both Risk and Protective Factors for Delinquency in Adolescence and Adulthood

• In Event: The Influence of Genes, Aggression, and Emotional Dysfunctions in Criminal Behavior

Abstract

Studies that investigate the cumulative effect of multiple genetic variants on antisocial behaviors remain scarce in spite of the growing evidence of a genetic aetiology. The aim of the study was to investigate the risk and protective effects of 13 candidate serotonergic genes on antisocial outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. Male participants from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children (N = 410) for whom genetic data were available, and self-reported and clinically-based antisocial outcomes were collected in adolescence (general delinquency, conduct disorder symptoms) and early adulthood (antisocial personality disorder symptoms, violent and propriety crimes, and intimate partner violence) were analyzed. The findings showed a cumulative effect of genetic risk on each antisocial outcomes. Additional indexes also showed cumulative genetic protection effects for violent and non-violent delinquent behaviors. These results support the idea of an inherited aetiology in the inclination to engage, or not to engage, in violent and non-violent antisocial behaviors. These findings also underline the need to study the impact of multiple genes, in addition to environmental influences, to better understand the complex aetiology of antisocial behaviors.

Authors

• Stephanie Langevin, University of Montreal and Montreal Mental Health University Institute

• Sara Mascheretti, Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea

• Isabelle Ouellet-Morin, University of Montreal and Montreal Mental Health University Institute