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FSU researchers report 'warrior gene' variant

Michele Edmunds/FSU PHOTO LAB

A research group led by Kevin M. Beaver of Florida State University says young men with a variant form of the “warrior gene” are more prone to join street gangs and use weapons.

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Published: June 30, 2009

Updated:

TALLAHASSEE - Young men with a variant form of a gene thought to play a role in aggressive behavior are more likely to join street gangs and use weapons, according to researchers at Florida State University.

The mutation is in the gene that produces an enzyme known as monoamine oxidase A, or MAOA. The portion of genetic material has been dubbed the "warrior gene" because of its supposed role in sparking aggressive behavior, although some scientists and sociologists reject the purported link.

A team led by biosocial criminologist Kevin M. Beaver of the FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice recently reported the possible link between a MAOA gene variation and gang membership.

Scientists call such a variant form of agene an "allele."

"While gangs typically have been regarded as a sociological phenomenon, our investigation shows that variants of a specific MAOA gene, known as a 'low-activity 3-repeat allele,' play a significant role," said Beaver.

Beaver, an assistant professor in the FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, has co-authored more than 50 published papers on the biosocial underpinnings of criminal behavior.

In his latest study, Beaver and colleagues from FSU and Iowa State and Saint Louis universities examined genetic data and lifestyle information drawn from more than 2,500 respondents to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. They will detail their findings in a paper to be published in a forthcoming edition of the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry.

The MAOA gene affects levels of neurotransmitter chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin, which play a role in mood and behavior. The variants of the MAOA gene related to violence are hereditary.

Some previous studies have found the "warrior gene" to be more prevalent in cultures that are typified by warfare and aggression, such as the Maori indigenous people of New Zealand. Maori tribal leaders, however, have rejected the supposed genetic link.

Beaver and his colleagues note that the MAOA gene is found on the X chromosome of humans. Women have two X chromosomes, but men have an X chromosome and a Y chromosome.

"Thus, if a male has an allele for the MAOA gene that is linked to violence, there isn't another copy to counteract it," Beaver said. "Females, in contrast, have two copies, so even if they have one risk allele, they have another that could compensate for it."

This could be why the MAOA effect is mainly seen in men and not women, Beaver said.

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