Abstract

We test whether genetic influences that explain individual differences in aggression in early life also explain individual differences across the life-course. In two cohorts from The Netherlands (N?=?13,471) and Australia (N?=?5628), polygenic scores (PGSs) were computed based on a genome-wide meta-analysis of childhood/adolescence aggression. In a novel analytic approach, we ran a mixed effects model for each age (Netherlands: 12-70 years, Australia: 16-73 years), with observations at the focus age weighted as 1, and decaying weights for ages further away. We call this approach a 'rolling weights' model. In The Netherlands, the estimated effect of the PGS was relatively similar from age 12 to age 41, and decreased from age 41-70. In Australia, there was a peak in the effect of the PGS around age 40 years. These results are a first indication from a molecular genetics perspective that genetic influences on aggressive behavior that are expressed in childhood continue to play a role later in life.

Authors	van der Laan, Camiel M; Morosoli-García, José J; van de Weijer, Steve G A; Colodro-Conde, Lucía; , ; Lupton, Michelle K; Mitchell, Brittany L; McAloney, Kerrie; Parker, Richard; Burns, Jane M; Hickie, Ian B; Pool, René; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Martin, Nicholas G; Medland, Sarah E; Nivard, Michel G; Boomsma, Dorret I
Journal	BEHAVIOR GENETICS
Pages	592-606
Volume	51
Date	1/01/2021
Grant ID
Funding Body
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1007/s10519-021-10076-6