An association between a polymorphism of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene and aggression in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

K. A. Nolan, J. Volavka, H. M. Lachman, T. Saito

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Serotonergic pathways have been implicated in impulsive and aggressive behavior. Polymorphisms in the regulatory region of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), in intron 7 of the tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) gene and in the MAOA gene were previously reported to be associated with mood and anxiety disorders, impulsivity and aggression. In this study, we analyzed these polymorphisms in men and women with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 84) who met our criteria for violence (history of two or more assaults on others) or nonviolence (no history of either assaultive or threatening behavior). In males, a modest association between TPH genotype and history of violence (chi-square test = 6.703, degrees of freedom = 2, P = 0.035) was not statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons (corrected P = 0.21). The TPH L allele was more frequent in violent males (chi-square = 5.323, degrees of freedom = 1, P = 0.021) but this difference also failed to withstand correction (corrected P = 0.126). No significant associations were found for either the 5-HTT or MAOA polymorphisms in males or females. These results tend to support previous reports by New et al. (1996; 1998) of an association between the TPH L allele and impulsive aggression in males with personality disorder, but larger studies are needed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)109-115
Number of pages7
JournalPsychiatric Genetics
Volume10
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Aggression
  • Behavioral genetics
  • Genotype
  • Monoamine oxidase
  • Schizoaffective disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • Serotonin transporter
  • Tryptophan hydroxylase

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics
  • Genetics(clinical)
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry

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