Science News
Week of May 27, 2006; Vol. 169, No. 21 , p. 328

Violent Developments Disruptive kids grow into their behavior
by Bruce Bower

Excerpt: New evidence indicates that a gene variant inherited by some people influences brain development in ways that foster impulsive violence, but only in combination with environmental hardships. Other studies explore how family and peer interactions build on a child's makeup to promote delinquency.

"Violence is such a complicated issue," Twemlow says. "There's always a set of preconditions to violent behavior and never just one cause."

Meyer-Lindenberg, a neuroscientist, directed studies of 142 white adults who had inherited one of two common versions of a gene that triggers production of an enzyme called monoamine oxydase A (MAOA). That enzyme controls the supply of an important brain chemical. One of the gene variants yields weak MAOA activity in the brain, resulting in elevated concentrations of serotonin. Too much of that chemical messenger upsets the regulation of emotions and impulses. (A)

Subject related articles:

Infant abuse not linked to genetics

Editorial
by Ushanda io Elima
Original Article: "Childhood abuse hurts the brain"
Link:www.news.harvard.edu
The article, "Childhood abuse hurts the brain," by William J. Cromie does us a service. Although the information is not new (Please see Resources below.), it is presented in clear, concise form. And since the study of focus comes from Martin Teicher, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School [italics mine], more readers may take it seriously.

SCIENTIFIC PROOF-ABUSED INFANTS CAN GROW UP TO BE ABUSIVE ADULTS
New evidence proving that children damaged at an early age can grow up to be abusive adult
Proof-Abused Infants Can Be Abusive Adults

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