COMT and prenatal maternal smoking in associations with conduct problems and crime: the Pelotas 1993 birth cohort study.

Angélica Salatino-Oliveira,Guilherme Polanczyk,Mara Helena Hutz,Christian Kieling,Júlia Pasqualini Genro,Luciana Anselmi,Ana Maria Baptista Menezes,Joseph Murray,Fernando C De Barros,Luis Augusto Rohde,Fernando Wehrmeister

doi:10.1038/srep29900

Abstract

Conduct problems in childhood and adolescence are significant precursors of crime and violence in young adulthood. The purpose of the current study is to test the interaction between prenatal maternal smoking and COMT Val158Met in conduct problems and crime in the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study. Conduct problems were assessed through the parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at ages 11 and 15 years. A translated version of a confidential self-report questionnaire was used to collect criminal data at 18 years of age. Negative binomial regression analyses showed an association between prenatal maternal smoking and SDQ conduct problem scores (IRR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.14–1.34; p < 0.001) at 11 years of age. However, no evidence was found for an association between COMT genotypes and conduct scores or for an interaction between maternal smoking and this gene in predicting conduct problems. Very similar results were obtained using the 15 years conduct scores and crime measure at age 18. Prenatal maternal smoking was associated with crime (IRR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.09–1.48; p = 0.002) but neither COMT genotypes nor the possible interaction between gene and maternal smoking were significantly associated with crime. Replications of GxE findings across different social contexts are critical for testing the robustness of findings.

Highlights

Conduct problems in childhood and adolescence are significant precursors of crime and violence in young adulthood
Conduct problems refer to antisocial behaviors typical of disruptive behaviors disorders (DBD) which are conditions involving difficulties in self-control
One of the potential candidates for Gene x environment interaction (GxE) studies in conduct problems is the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene which encodes a key modulator of dopamine and norepinephrine pathways

Summary

Introduction

Conduct problems in childhood and adolescence are significant precursors of crime and violence in young adulthood. COMT seems to play a role in cerebral areas which modulate self-regulation and expression of negative emotions, affecting antisocial behavior and criminal involvement[14]. These neuropsychological problems could interact cumulatively with www.nature.com/scientificreports/. Because of the relevance of COMT activity for PFC functionality, the Val158Met SNP has been associated with poorer executive functions, childhood disruptive disorders, antisocial behavior, aggression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)[15,16,17,18,19,20,21]. Recent GxE studies have shown that COMT genotypes may modify the sensivity to environments that confer either risk or protection for aggressive behavior[22,23,24]

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