Association between aggressive behaviors and COMT Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms in children

CAO Yu-Ping, LI Long-Fei, ZHAO Xing-Fu, ZHANG Ya-Lin

Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ›› 2011, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (5) : 361-364.

PDF(1041 KB)
PDF(1041 KB)
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ›› 2011, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (5) : 361-364.
CLINICAL RESEARCH

Association between aggressive behaviors and COMT Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms in children

  • CAO Yu-Ping, LI Long-Fei, ZHAO Xing-Fu, ZHANG Ya-Lin
Author information +
History +

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between aggressive behaviors and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) single nucleotide polymorphism at position 158 from a valine to a methionine (Val158Met) as well as serotonin (5-HT) transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in children. METHODS: A total of 68 children who were exposed to domestic violence were recruited. The frequencies of genotypes and alleles of COMT Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. A comparison was conducted between 24 children with high scores of aggressive problems and 44 control children with low scores of aggressive problems according to Child Behavior Checklist (for parents).ResultsThere were no significant differences in genotypes of COMT Val158Met (χ2=1.612, P=0.447) and 5-HTTLPR (χ2=1.807, P=0.405) between the two groups. There were also no significant differences in the frequencies of alleles of COMT Val158Met (χ2=1.648, P=0.119) and 5-HTTLPR(χ2=0.403, P=0.527) in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: COMT Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR might not be the susceptible genes of children's aggression, suggesting that children's aggressive behaviors might be affected by multivariate factors.

Key words

Aggressive behavior / COMT Val158Met / 5-HTTLPR / Child

Cite this article

Download Citations
CAO Yu-Ping, LI Long-Fei, ZHAO Xing-Fu, ZHANG Ya-Lin. Association between aggressive behaviors and COMT Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms in children[J]. Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics. 2011, 13(5): 361-364

References

[1]Simons RL, Johnson C, Beaman J, Conger RD, Whitbeck LB. Parents and peer group as mediators of the effect of community structure on adolescent problem behavior[J]. Am J Community Psychol, 1996, 24(1): 145-171.

[2]Perepletchikova F, Kaufman J. Emotional and behavioral sequelae of childhood maltreatment[J].Curr Opin Pediatr, 2010, 22(5):610-615.

[3]Pears KC, Capaldi DM. Intergenerational transmission of abuse: a two-generational prospective study of an at-risk sample[J]. Child Abuse Negl, 2001, 25(11):1439-1461.

[4]严琴琴,焦文燕,蔺婧,焦富勇. 儿童期躯体情感虐待经历对大学生心理健康的影响[J]. 中国当代儿科杂志,2009, 11(8): 675-678.

[5]Thompson R, Tabone JK. The impact of early alleged maltreatment on behavioral trajectories[J].Child Abuse Negl, 2010,34(12):907-916.

[6]Romans SE, Poore MR, Martin JL. The perpetrators of domestic violence[J]. Med J Aust, 2000, 173(9):484-488.

[7]Yeh MT, Coccaro EF, Jacobson KC. Multivariate behavior genetic analyses of aggressive behavior subtypes[J]. Behav Genet, 2010, 40(5): 603-617.

[8]Tuvblad C, Raine A, Zheng M, Baker LA. Genetic and environmental stability differs in reactive and proactive aggression[J]. Aggress Behav, 2009, 35(6):437-452.

[9]Ward D, Bray-Ward P, Lombroso PJ. Genetics of childhood disorders: VI. FISH, FISH, and more FISH[J]. J Am Acad Child Adolese Psychiatry, 1999, 38(9): 1200-1202.

[10]Albaugh MD, Harder VS, Althoff RR, Rettew DC, Ehli EA, Lengyel-Nelson T, et al. COMT Val158Met genotype as a risk factor for problem behaviors in youth[J]. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 2010, 49(8): 841-849.

[11]Beitchman JH, Baldassarra L, Mik H, De Luca V, King N, Bender D,et al. Serotonin transporter polymorphisms and persistent, pervasive childhood aggression[J]. Am J Psychiatry, 2006, 163(6): 1103-1105.

[12]Ratey JJ, Gordon A. The psychopharmacology of aggression: toward a new day[J]. Psychopharmacol Bull, 1993, 29(1):65-73.

[13]Han DH, Park DB, Na C, Kee BS, Lee YS. Association of aggressive behavior in Korean male schizophrenic patients with polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter promoter and catecholamine-O-methyltransferase genes[J]. Psychiatry Res, 2004, 129(1):29-37.

[14]Gu Y, Yun L, Tian Y, Hu Z. Association between COMT gene and Chinese male schizophrenic patients with violent behavior[J]. Med Sci Monit, 2009, 15(9):484-489.

[15]Jones G, Zammit S, Norton N, Hamshere ML, Jones SJ, Milham C, et al. Aggressive behavior in patients with schizophrenia is associated with catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype[J]. Br J Psychiatry, 2001, 179:351-355.

[16]Liao DL, Hong CJ, Shih HL, Tsai SJ. Possible association between serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism and extremely violent crime in Chinese males[J]. Neuropsychobiology, 2004, 50(4):284-287.

[17]Blumensohn R, Ratzoni G, Weizman A, Israeli M, Greuner N, Apter A. Reduction in serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding on platelets of delinquent adolescents[J]. Psychopharmacology, 1995, 118: 354-356.

[18]Alan SU, Edwin HC, Jennifer GV, Gjerde DK, Perry BD, Mason C, et al. Platelet serotonin measures in adolescents with conduct disorder[J]. Biol Psychiatry, 1997, 42(42):553-559.

[19]Moffitt TE, Caspi A, Krueger RF, Magdol L, Margolin G, Silva P A, et al. Do partners agree about abuse in their relationship? A psychometric evaluation of interpartner agreement[J]. Psychol Assess, 1997, 9(1):47-56.

[20]苏林雁,李雪荣,杨志伟,罗学荣,万国斌 . CBCL及TRF在儿童精神障碍流行学调查中的应用 ——兼论划界分的选择[J]. 中国心理卫生杂志,1997,11(1):37-40.

[21]Kim YR, Kim JH, Kim SJ, Lee D, Min SK. Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism in relation to aggressive schizophrenia in a Korean population[J]. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 2008, 18(11):820825.

[22]Zalsman G, Huang YY, HarkavyFriedman JM, Oquendo MA, Ellis SP, Mann JJ. Relationship of MAO-A promoter (u-VNTR) and COMT (V158M) gene polymorphisms to CSF monoamine metabolites levels in a psychiatric sample of caucasians: A preliminary report[J]. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatry Genet, 2005, 132B(1):100-103.

[23]May ME, Lightfoot DA, Srour A, Kowalchuk RK, Kennedy CH. Association between serotonin transporter polymorphisms and problem behavior in adult males with intellectual disabilities[J]. Brain Res, 2010,1357:97-103.
PDF(1041 KB)

Accesses

Citation

Detail

Sections
Recommended

/