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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

NIH-led study identifies genetic variant that can lead to severe impulsivity






A multinational research team led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health has found that a genetic variant of a brain receptor molecule may contribute to violently impulsive behavior when people who carry it are under the influence of alcohol.  A report of the findings, which include human genetic analyses and gene knockout studies in animals, appears in the Dec. 23 issue of Nature.



“Impulsivity, or action without foresight, is a factor in many pathological behaviors including suicide, aggression, and addiction,” explains senior author David Goldman, M.D., chief of the Laboratory of Neurogenetics at the NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).  “But it is also a trait that can be of value if a quick decision must be made or in situations where risk-taking is favored.”

In collaboration with researchers in Finland and France, Dr. Goldman and colleagues studied a sample of violent criminal offenders in Finland.  The hallmark of the violent crimes committed by individuals in the study sample was that they were spontaneous and purposeless.  > > > >  Read 
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