Genetic aggression
Aggression
Discuss genetic factors involved in aggressive behaviour.
The gene MAOA may be associated with aggressive behaviour. It is responsbile for breaking down neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline and dopamine after they have transmitted an impulse from one cell to another. The lower the MAOA gene,means that the more aggressive the behaviour as dopamine and noradrealine is accumulated in their bodies.
There has been emperical support by CASES et al who investigated mice genetically engineered to lack MAOA. The mice had a dramatically altered seretonin metabolism and severe behaviour changes, suggesting that abnormal MAOA is associated with aggression. The use of animals in research can be beneficial as it allows us to investigate things that would be unethical to be carried out on humans. It is also benefical as it allows for biological manipulation meaning that a cause and effect can be established. Nonetheless, we must ask the question, whether the ends justify the means, meaning whether the information it has provided us is worth the potential harm inflicted on the animals. There is also the issue of generalisability to humans, as animals have a different biological makeup to humans these generalisability may not be true on humans. This has been evident in the past where mices lacking with the gene HTR1B, was associated with seretonin production which led to an increase in aggression, yet this was not the case for humans. Thus drawing conclusions from animal studies need to be extra cautious.
Twin studies are extremely useful in determining where aggression falls in the nature vs nurture debate. If the trait of aggression is found that this trait is more alike in monozygotic twins that dyzogitc twins there it is assumed that genetic factor plays a bigger role than environmental. Research has generally shown that aggression is more highly correlated in MZ twins than DV twins. For example Gottesman foiund a concordance rate of aggressive behaviour of
Discuss genetic factors involved in aggressive behaviour.
The gene MAOA may be associated with aggressive behaviour. It is responsbile for breaking down neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline and dopamine after they have transmitted an impulse from one cell to another. The lower the MAOA gene,means that the more aggressive the behaviour as dopamine and noradrealine is accumulated in their bodies.
There has been emperical support by CASES et al who investigated mice genetically engineered to lack MAOA. The mice had a dramatically altered seretonin metabolism and severe behaviour changes, suggesting that abnormal MAOA is associated with aggression. The use of animals in research can be beneficial as it allows us to investigate things that would be unethical to be carried out on humans. It is also benefical as it allows for biological manipulation meaning that a cause and effect can be established. Nonetheless, we must ask the question, whether the ends justify the means, meaning whether the information it has provided us is worth the potential harm inflicted on the animals. There is also the issue of generalisability to humans, as animals have a different biological makeup to humans these generalisability may not be true on humans. This has been evident in the past where mices lacking with the gene HTR1B, was associated with seretonin production which led to an increase in aggression, yet this was not the case for humans. Thus drawing conclusions from animal studies need to be extra cautious.
Twin studies are extremely useful in determining where aggression falls in the nature vs nurture debate. If the trait of aggression is found that this trait is more alike in monozygotic twins that dyzogitc twins there it is assumed that genetic factor plays a bigger role than environmental. Research has generally shown that aggression is more highly correlated in MZ twins than DV twins. For example Gottesman foiund a concordance rate of aggressive behaviour of