Genes linked to psychopathy

Psychopathy has a polygenic basis, with six genes having been shown particular significance regarding the risk: ANKK1, DRD2, DRD4, COMT, MAOA, and SLC6A4 (particularly the 5-HTTLPR variant). Other notable genetic risk factors for becoming a psychopath include alleles of OXTR, AVPR1A, CADM2, PRKG1, and NR3C1. Several of these genes, like COMT, MAOA, 5-HTTLPR, OXTR, and NR3C1, undergo direct epigenetic modification following trauma. Psychopathy is principally a personality construct used by psychologists to explain and predict behavior, but it may also be viewed as a spectrum of traits related to atypical patterns of neurodevelopment.

The expression of psychopathy-related phenotypes depends on the combination of inherited alleles, in addition to environmental factors. Individuals are at an elevated risk of psychopathic traits if they inherit multiple core alleles located at different loci, likely at least four core alleles at a minimum of three different loci. This is similar to many other spectrum disorders, such as schizotypy, which typically involve a complex interaction between genes and environmental factors.

Genes linked to psychopathy

Loci

Characteristics

ANKK1

DRD2

MAOA

COMT

5-HTTLPR

Basal endophenotype

Also associated with

Taq1 A2 allele

957T allele

calm

Taq1 A1 allele

957C allele

anxious

posttraumatic stress disorder

957C/C genotype

impulsive

schizophrenia

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

dissocial

dissocial personality disorder

low activity

low activity

long

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

low activity

dissocial

antisocial personality disorder

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

low activity

dissocial

borderline personality disorder

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

long

dissocial

narcissistic personality disorder

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

low activity

low activity

dissocial

sadistic personality disorder

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

low activity

long

dissocial

histrionic personality disorder

Taq1 A1 allele

957C/C genotype

low activity

long

dissocial

Munchausen by proxy

Taq1 A1 allele

957T allele

low activity

long

anxious

Munchausen syndrome

## DRD2

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In addition to the DRD2 957C/C genotype, the DRD2 Taq1 B allele and polymorphisms in the promoter region of the DRD4 gene have also have been linked to psychopathy. This suggests that the dissocial and impulsive basal endophenotypes can be subdivided into at least seven subtypes: 1a, 1b, 1c, 2, 3a, 3b, and 3c.

Impulsive/dissocial subtypes

DRD2

DRD4

Subtype

957 locus

Taq1 B locus

-616 locus

C/C genotype

B1 allele-negative

-616G allele

T allele

B1 allele-positive

-616G allele

C/C genotype

B1 allele-positive

-616G allele

T allele

B1 allele-negative

-616C/C genotype

C/C genotype

B1 allele-negative

-616C/C genotype

T allele

B1 allele-positive

-616C/C genotype

C/C genotype

B1 allele-positive

-616C/C genotype

## Further reading

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