ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The genetic etiology of aggressive behaviors remains elusive, but growing evidence suggests that they are heritable, and certain genetic variants have been implicated as contributing factors. The oxytocin-vasopressin (OXT-AVP) neurohumoral system has recently been implicated in social behaviors. Oxytocin, especially, has been linked to prosocial behaviors such as trust and social bonds. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine whether genes regulating this system were also associated with childhood-onset aggressive behaviors. METHODS: Our sample included 182 White children showing extreme, persistent, and pervasive aggressive behavior. These cases were matched with 182 White controls on the basis of sex and age. We used PCR to determine the genotype for 28 single nucleotide polymorphisms within eight genes regulating the OXT-AVP system, including CD38 polymorphisms. Genotypic analyses were carried out using STATA, whereas differences in haplotypic and allelic frequencies were analyzed using Unphased. RESULTS: None of the results reached significance after correction for multiple testing. However, nominally significant allelic effects were observed for OXTR rs6770632T (P=0.028) and AVPR1A rs11174811G (P=0.040) in females, and OXTR rs237898A (P=0.006), rs237902C (P=0.007), and AVP rs3761249A (P=0.008) in males. CONCLUSION: Genetic variants regulating the OXT-AVP system may be associated with childhood-onset aggression.
