Threat-Avoidance Tendencies Moderate the Link Between Serotonin Transporter Genetic Variation and Reactive Aggression.

Deborah G A Peeters,A Katinka L Von Borries,Robbert-Jan Verkes,Inge Volman,Karin Roelofs,Judith R Homberg,Wolf-Gero Lange,Barbara Franke

doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2020.562098

Abstract

The short (S) allele of the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism has been linked to reactive aggression in men, but this association is less consistent in females. Reactive aggression has been particularly described as a result of fear-driven defense to threat, but how this interaction between defensive behavior and aggression is expressed in S-allele carriers remains unknown. In order to explore this interplay between 5-HTTLPR genotype, defensive behavior and reactive aggression, we combined genotyping with objective measures of action tendencies toward angry faces in an approach-avoidance task (AAT) and reactive aggression in the Taylor aggression paradigm (TAP) in healthy females, N = 95. This study shows that female S-allele carriers in general display increased implicit reactive aggression (administering aversive white noise) toward opponents. Furthermore, we found that threat-avoidance tendencies moderate the association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and aggression displayed on the TAP. Together, these findings indicate a positive correlation between avoidance of angry faces in the AAT and reactive aggression in the TAP exclusively present in S-allele carriers.

Highlights

Aggressive behavior is an evolutionary conserved social behavior, uncontrolled aggression has a huge adverse impact on society
According to a wealth of previous work on the 5-HTTLPR genotype (e.g., Bondy et al, 2000; Cadoret et al, 2003; Pezawas et al, 2005; Marsh et al, 2006; Heinz et al, 2007; Gonda et al, 2009), including our own on the relation between 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms and avoidance task (AAT) (Volman et al, 2013), we investigated the effect of 5-HTTLPR genotype on aggression on the Taylor aggression paradigm (TAP) total variable
The data show that AAT anger moderates the link between 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAP provocation. These findings suggest that increased avoidance of angry faces on the AAT is associated with increased reactive aggression on the TAP in 5-HTTLPR S-allele carriers and decreased reactive aggression on the TAP in L-allele homozygotes

Summary

Introduction

Aggressive behavior is an evolutionary conserved social behavior, uncontrolled aggression has a huge adverse impact on society. Low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the serotonergic metabolite 5-HIAA are associated with aggression, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have shown anti-aggressive effects (Brown et al, 1979; Linnoila et al, 1983 for reviews see, Duke et al, 2013; Coccaro et al, 2014). Reactive aggression, as opposed to instrumental aggression, has been associated with low serotonin levels (Glenn, 2011; Coccaro, 2012; Montoya et al, 2012) and genetic factors linked to serotonin function and metabolism (e.g., Waltes et al, 2016; van Donkelaar et al, 2017)

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