Genes and Aggression

[hardheadjarhead]

I thought this was interesting.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050309150544.htm

I wonder if this will lead to new treatments for violent people?


As a side note, in the last week alone I've had two separate encounters...one I'd term with a "neurotically aggressive" male and the other with an "aggressively hostile" male...just like the studies describe. It sure made for an interesting week.

I googled, and found this:

http://www.paragonhouse.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=23_37&products_id=157

A book which apparently counters the above research.



Regards,


Steve

 

[Bammx2]

If we can get rid of the "aggresive" gene.....
So how about lookin for the "greed" gene and doing away with that as well?

I believe greed leads to far more crime than anything else.

 

[BrandiJo]

i think people need to leave genes alone, soon they will be trying to make everything that could possible be used the wrong way impossible to have. I think its people starting to play God, and while yes i would like to know what my genes have programed in my its still better left unknown, i can see it all in my parents

 

[Adept]

If we can get rid of the "aggresive" gene.....
So how about lookin for the "greed" gene and doing away with that as well?

I believe greed leads to far more crime than anything else.

And yet at the same time it helps to ensure prosperity for the individual and the community at large.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

If we can get rid of the "aggresive" gene.....
So how about lookin for the "greed" gene and doing away with that as well?

I believe greed leads to far more crime than anything else.

I think it's safe to say that no ONE gene codes for behavior. Getting rid of an "aggression gene" would be a bit tough.

From what I understand about fifty percent or so of our behavior is determined by genetics...the rest by environment. Keep in mind this caveat: Very often when a behavior is hardwired into the brain and adulthood is achieved, very little can be done to change that nature. When the person is young and the brain is still somewhat "plastic," then some changes can be made.

Regards,


Steve

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Finally, only the "aggressively hostile" men released high levels of cortisol, a key stress-hormone, after taking an anti-depressant drug that makes serotonin more available in the brain. The authors speculate that, after being deprived of serotonin, these men's neural receptors were exquisitely sensitive and primed to over-react, in part by producing extra cortisol.

Tying together the three findings, Hennig concludes that, "We found that gene polymorphisms contribute to the variance that can be found in neuro-endocrine challenge tests and personality questionnaires in healthy individuals. This demonstrates that certain aspects of behavior relate to biological systems, such as neurotransmitter systems."

I like this conclusion - a very good, conservative scientific conclusion. Some genetic variations may be tied to some aggression variability in people.

I think most therapies are/will be behavioral, rather than genetic. In part, if you change someone's chemical/genetic makeup radically, they may suffer additional problems, such as issues of their identity, and changes in cognitive processing. But that's just a good guess.

I love seeing pop press releases on science.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Thread moved to Study

Rich Parsons
Martial Talk
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