I’m not sure what to make of PhysOrg’s declaration that scientist have isolated the gene that leads people to join gangs and perform acts of violence:
Led by noted biosocial criminologist Kevin M. Beaver at FSU’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, the study sheds new light on the interplay of genetics and environment that produces some of society’s most serious violent offenders.
“While gangs typically have been regarded as a sociological phenomenon, our investigation shows that variants of a specific MAOA gene, known as a ‘low-activity 3-repeat allele,’ play a significant role,” said Beaver, an award-winning researcher who has co-authored more than 50 published papers on the biosocial underpinnings of criminal behavior.
“Previous research has linked low-activity MAOA variants to a wide range of antisocial, even violent, behavior, but our study confirms that these variants can predict gang membership,” he said. “Moreover, we found that variants of this gene could distinguish gang members who were markedly more likely to behave violently and use weapons from members who were less likely to do either.”
The MAOA gene affects levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin that are related to mood and behavior, and those variants that are related to violence are hereditary.
That monoamine oxidase is quite the brain chemical. I know there are some antidepressants that mess around with it, too. It strikes me as funny that a gene abbreviated as MAOA would be labeled the “warrior gene” based, in part, on a study of a specific group of warriors – the Maori.