Serotonin and self-control: A genetically moderated stress sensitization effect

Danielle Boisvert, Jessica Wells, Todd A. Armstrong, Richard H. Lewis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: The current study seeks to examine how two widely studied serotonergic polymorphisms, MAOA-uVNTR and 5-HTTLPR, interact with early and later life stressors to explain between-individual variation in low self-control in a genetically moderated stress sensitization model (G × E × E). Methods: Using a sample of male undergraduate students (n = 190), regression analyses were performed to examine three-way interactions of distal and proximal stress by MAOA-uVNTR and 5-HTTLPR separately, while controlling for age, race, parenting, and peer delinquency. Results: Results suggest that MAOA-uVNTR and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms moderate individual stress sensitization in the explanation of self-control. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need to study the etiology of self-control from both developmental and biological perspectives by demonstrating that molecular genetic variation related to serotonergic function interacts with distal stressors to increase reactivity to proximal stressors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)98-106
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Criminal Justice
Volume56
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2018

Keywords

  • 5-HTTLPR
  • Low self-control
  • MAOA-uVNTR
  • Stress sensitization

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