Meta-analysis of the serotonin transporter promoter variant (5-HTTLPR) in relation to adverse environment and antisocial behavior

Citation

Tielbeek, Jorim J.; Linnér, Richard Karlsson; Beers, Koko; Posthuma, Danielle; Popma, Arne; & Polderman, Tinca J. C. (2016). Meta-analysis of the serotonin transporter promoter variant (5-HTTLPR) in relation to adverse environment and antisocial behavior. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics. vol. 171 (5) pp. 748-760

Abstract

Several studies have suggested an association between antisocial, aggressive, and delinquent behavior and the short variant of the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR). Yet, genome wide and candidate gene studies in humans have not convincingly shown an association between these behaviors and 5-HTTLPR. Moreover, individual studies examining the effect of 5-HTTLPR in the presence or absence of adverse environmental factors revealed inconsistent results. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to test for the robustness of the potential interaction effect of the “long-short” variant of the 5-HTTLPR genotype and environmental adversities, on antisocial behavior. Eight studies, comprising of 12 reasonably independent samples, totaling 7,680 subjects with an effective sample size of 6,724, were included in the meta-analysis. Although our extensive meta-analysis resulted in a significant interaction effect between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and environmental adversities on antisocial behavior, the methodological constraints of the included studies hampered a confident interpretation of our results, and firm conclusions regarding the direction of effect. Future studies that aim to examine biosocial mechanisms that influence the etiology of antisocial behavior should make use of larger samples, extend to genome-wide genetic risk scores and properly control for covariate interaction terms, ensuring valid and well-powered research designs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.32442

Keyword(s)

maltreatment genetics review criminology adverse childhood environment (ACE)

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics

Author(s)

Tielbeek, Jorim J.
Linnér, Richard Karlsson
Beers, Koko
Posthuma, Danielle
Popma, Arne
Polderman, Tinca J. C.

Year Published

2016

Volume Number

171

Issue Number

5

Pages

748-760

Edition

March 16, 2016

ISSN/ISBN

1552-485X

DOI

10.1002/ajmg.b.32442

Reference ID

8027