Genetics and Health

Treating People Instead of Genes

by Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD on January 2nd, 2007

Today was one of those days as a parent where I wondered if I was the one suffering maltreatment or my child. Neither of us were particularly nice to each other. We did have a few sparkling moments that kept me going but I am very grateful the little guy is asleep now.

Sadly, maltreatment is the standard in some families involving “rejection by the child’s mother, frequent changes of primary caregiver, physical abuse resulting in injury and sexual abuse.” The Dunedin (New Zealand) Multidisciplinary Study examined the link between maltreatment, children’s genetic make-up, and their predisposition to becoming violent or criminal adults.

Mutations in the MAOA gene, previously linked to violence, neophilia, and stress, found the following:

• About 85 per cent of the severely maltreated children with low levels of the enzyme MAOA (monoamine oxidase A), developed anti-social behaviours. These included convictions for violent crimes and anti-social personality disorders.
• A few of those with the gene producing high levels of MAOA, developed anti-social behaviours, despite being maltreated.

So what’s the conclusion? Genes don’t guarantee anything.

Otago University Associate Professor Richie Poulton has your dose of common sense for today:

Today , if you are looking to try and make an impact upon levels of violence in society, anti-social behaviour, forget trying to change people’s genes. That is futuristic. Forget about trying to change brain chemistry with drugs because the drugs aren’t specific enough.

So, if you want to stop levels of violence you have to stop child maltreatment.

So zero tolerance of child maltreatment is the way to go.

We (ok, I) like to talk about genes because they’re interesting but I never forget that human genetics involves people. Even if humans were able to create the perfect genome, there’s no guarantee that the people who carried perfect DNA would be the most kind, generous, considerate, and/or successful people around.

Many diseases can and will be cured with a better understanding of genes. But many other human traits and behaviors don’t need to be cured, merely improved. Our dedication to becoming better people can achieve a great deal. To that end, I’ll continue studying parenting books for ideas on how to curb my own negative behaviors as well as my son’s. Wish me luck!

stuff.co.nz, January 1, 2007

Tags: child abuse, abuse, maltreatment, violent behavior, violence, criminals, maoa, monoamine oxidase A, genetics, genes, dna, diseases, illness, health

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POSTED IN: General Genetics and Health