Fowler Tom, Langley Kate, Rice Frances, van den Bree Marianne B M, Ross Kenny, Wilkinson Lawrence S, Owen Michael J, O'Donovan Michael C, Thapar Anita
Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
Psychiatr Genet. 2009 Dec;19(6):312-9. doi: 10.1097/YPG.0b013e3283328df4.
Psychopathy-related traits, especially those tapping the 'emotional dysfunction' aspect of psychopathy that is characterized by lack of emotional responsiveness, are thought to be of genetic origin, but molecular genetic studies are yet to be undertaken. Gene variants that affect COMT, MAOA and 5HTT activity have previously been linked to antisocial behaviour. The aims of this study were to test whether these gene variants are linked to psychopathy traits in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Adolescents were followed up 5 years after an initial diagnosis of ADHD. Psychopathy trait scores were assessed [total scores and 'emotional dysfunction' (also referred to as 'affective') scores] and the MAOA 30-bp variable number of tandem repeats, SLC6A4 44-bp insertion/deletion and COMT Val158Met variants were genotyped.
All three gene variants were associated with 'emotional dysfunction' scores. MAOA and 5HTT variants were associated with total psychopathy scores. The results were not explained by associated conduct disorder.
The results suggest that specific gene variants influence psychopathy traits in ADHD.
与精神病态相关的特质，尤其是那些体现精神病态“情感功能障碍”方面（其特征为缺乏情感反应能力）的特质，被认为源于遗传，但尚未开展分子遗传学研究。此前，影响儿茶酚-O-甲基转移酶（COMT）、单胺氧化酶A（MAOA）和5-羟色胺转运体（5HTT）活性的基因变异已被证实与反社会行为有关。本研究旨在检验这些基因变异是否与注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）中的精神病态特质相关。
对初次诊断为ADHD的青少年进行了为期5年的随访。评估了精神病态特质得分（总分以及“情感功能障碍”得分，后者也被称为“情感”得分），并对MAOA基因30碱基对可变串联重复序列、SLC6A4基因44碱基对插入/缺失以及COMT基因Val158Met变异进行了基因分型。
所有这三种基因变异均与“情感功能障碍”得分相关。MAOA和5HTT基因变异与精神病态总分相关。这些结果无法用共患的品行障碍来解释。
研究结果表明，特定的基因变异会影响ADHD中的精神病态特质。
