Continuity of Genetic Risk for Aggressive Behavior Across the Life-Course

Journal article

We test whether genetic influences that explain individual differences in aggression in early life also explain individual differences across the life-course. In two cohorts from The Netherlands (N = 13,471) and Australia (N = 5628), polygenic scores (PGSs) were computed based on a genome-wide meta-analysis of childhood/adolescence aggression. In a novel analytic approach, we ran a mixed effects model for each age (Netherlands: 12-70 years, Australia: 16-73 years), with observations at the focus age weighted as 1, and decaying weights for ages further away. We call this approach a 'rolling weights' model. In The Netherlands, the estimated effect of the PGS was relatively similar from age 12 to age 41, and decreased from age 41-70. In Australia, there was a peak in the effect of the PGS around age 40 years. These results are a first indication from a molecular genetics perspective that genetic influences on aggressive behavior that are expressed in childhood continue to play a role later in life.

Authors: van der Laan, CM; Morosoli-García, JJ; van de Weijer, SGA; Colodro-Conde, L; Lupton, MK

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Behavior Genetics
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 592-606
• Publication date: 2021-08-14
• DOI: 10.1007/s10519-021-10076-6
• EISSN: 1573-3297
• ISSN: 0001-8244
• Language: English
• Keywords: Life course approach; Behavioural genetics; Gerontology; Health psychology; Psychology; Demography; Sociology; Aggression; Perspective (graphical); Public health; Medicine; Developmental psychology