Transcriptome analysis of genes and gene networks involved in aggressive behavior in mouse and zebrafish.

Despite moderate heritability estimates, the molecular architecture of aggressive behavior remains poorly characterized. This study compared gene expression profiles from a genetic mouse model of aggression with zebrafish, an animal model traditionally used to study aggression. A meta-analytic, cross-species approach was used to identify genomic variants associated with aggressive behavior.

Comparative mRNA analysis of behavioral and genetic mouse models of aggression.

Mouse models of aggression have traditionally compared strains, most notably BALB/cJ and C57BL/6. However, these strains were not designed to study aggression despite differences in aggression-related traits and distinct reactivity to stress. This study evaluated expression of genes differentially regulated in a stress (behavioral) mouse model of aggression with those from a recent genetic mouse model aggression.

Paraphilic Sexual Interests and Sexually Coercive Behavior: A Population-Based Twin Study.

Prior research with selected clinical and forensic samples suggests associations between paraphilic sexual interests (e.g., exhibitionism and sexual sadism) and sexually coercive behavior.

Gene-Environment Correlation Between the Dopamine Transporter Gene (DAT1) Polymorphism and Childhood Experiences of Abuse.

In the present study, we investigated the possible gene-environment correlation between the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) polymorphism and childhood experiences of abuse and neglect. Genetic information was obtained from 1,442 male and 2,178 female twins and their siblings drawn from a Finnish population-based sample. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was used to measure the childhood experiences of abuse and neglect.

Genetic variation of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor gene is associated with alcohol use disorders identification test scores and smoking.

The multifaceted gut-brain peptide ghrelin and its receptor (GHSR-1a) are implicated in mechanisms regulating not only the energy balance but also the reward circuitry. In our pre-clinical models, we have shown that ghrelin increases whereas GHSR-1a antagonists decrease alcohol consumption and the motivation to consume alcohol in rodents. Moreover, ghrelin signaling is required for the rewarding properties of addictive drugs including alcohol and nicotine in rodents.

Men's sexual interest in children: one-year incidence and correlates in a population-based sample of Finnish male twins.

In a study of 1,310 Finnish adult male twins we found that sexual interest in children aged 12 or younger was reported by 0.2% of the sample. Sexual interest in children aged 15 or younger was reported by 3.

A study of possible associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor 2 gene and female sexual desire.

Introduction: Female sexual desire and arousal problems have been shown to have a heritable component of moderate size. Previous molecular genetic studies on sexual desire have mainly focused on genes associated with neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that hormones with more specific functions concerning sexuality could have an impact on sexual desire and arousal.

Associations between Salivary Testosterone Levels, Androgen-Related Genetic Polymorphisms, and Self-Estimated Ejaculation Latency Time.

Introduction: Recently, testosterone (T) has been shown to be associated with premature ejaculation (PE) symptoms in the literature. Furthermore, studies suggest that the etiology of PE is partly under genetic control.

Aim: The aim of this study was to reassess findings suggesting an association between testosterone (T) and a key symptom of PE, ejaculation latency time (ELT), as well as exploratively investigating associations between six androgen-related genetic polymorphisms and ELT.

Genes and gene networks implicated in aggression related behaviour.

Aggressive behaviour is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Despite of moderate heritability estimates, progress in identifying the genetic factors underlying aggressive behaviour has been limited. There are currently three genetic mouse models of high and low aggression created using selective breeding.

Sexually coercive behavior following childhood maltreatment.

Child maltreatment is associated with adult sexually coercive behavior. The association may be causal or confounders that increase the risk of both childhood victimization and sexually coercive behavior might explain the observed links. We examined if childhood maltreatment was related to sexual coercion independently of familial (genetic or common family environment) risk factors, thereby addressing potential causality.

Finnish women and men who self-report no sexual attraction in the past 12 months: prevalence, relationship status, and sexual behavior history.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of not reporting sexual attraction in the past year and its associations with factors related to partner relations as well as sexuality-related characteristics in a population-based sample of Finnish twins. The present study was based on a total of 3,540 participants (1,304 men and 2,236 women) aged 33-43 years. A total of 19 men and 73 women reported complete absence of sexual interest in women or men during the past year.

The Genetics of Sexuality and Aggression (GSA) twin samples in Finland.

The Genetics of Sexuality and Aggression (GSA) project was launched at the Abo Akademi University in Turku, Finland in 2005 and has so far undertaken two major population-based data collections involving twins and siblings of twins. To date, it consists of about 14,000 individuals (including 1,147 informative monozygotic twin pairs, 1,042 informative same-sex dizygotic twin pairs, 741 informative opposite-sex dizygotic twin pairs). Participants have been recruited through the Central Population Registry of Finland and were 18-49 years of age at the time of the data collections.

Are single nucleotide polymorphisms in the oxytocin and vasopressin 1A/1B receptor genes likely candidates for variation in ejaculatory function?

Unlabelled: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? There is also evidence that the etiology of premature ejaculation is partially genetic. So far, all molecular genetic studies of premature ejaculation have focused on serotonergic and dopaminergic genes. Serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission aside, studies on both animals and humans have shown that both oxytocin and vasopressin are also involved in ejaculatory function.

Are early and current erectile problems associated with anxiety and depression in young men? A retrospective self-report study.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been extensively studied in the past few decades, and significant advances have been made in understanding its etiology. Most cases of this type of dysfunction have an organic etiology, and ED occurs primarily in older men. However, relatively little is known about erectile problems in young men or about the interconnection between psychiatric symptoms and ED etiology.

Disordered eating and gender identity disorder: a qualitative study.

The association between disordered eating and gender identity was examined in a sample of 20 (11 female-to-male, 9 male-to-female) transgender Finnish adults, aged 21-62 years. Using semi-structured interviews, participants' own understanding of the underlying causes of their disordered eating was analyzed, as well as the effect of gender reassignment on eating behaviors and cognitions. A majority of the participants reported current or past disordered eating.

Genetic and environmental effects on stuttering: a twin study from Finland.

Unlabelled: The present study explored the prevalence of self-reported stuttering in a Finnish twin population and examined the extent to which the variance in liability to stuttering was attributable to genetic and environmental effects. We analyzed data of 1728 Finnish twins, born between 1961 and 1989. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on speech, language, and voice.

Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphisms and self-reported aggressive behavior and anger: Interactions with alcohol consumption.

Oxytocin has been implicated in the regulation of social as well as aggressive behaviors, and in a recent study we found that the effect of alcohol on aggressive behavior was moderated by the individual's genotype on an oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism (Johansson et al., 2012). In this study we wanted to deepen and expand the analysis by exploring associations between three (rs1488467, rs4564970, rs1042778) OXTR polymorphisms and aggressive behavior, trait anger as well as anger control in a population-based sample of Finnish men and women (N=3577) aged between 18 and 49 years (M=26.

A study of possible associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the serotonin receptor 1A, 1B, and 2C genes and self-reported ejaculation latency time.

Introduction: Previous research has indicated that serotonergic genes may influence ejaculatory function. Attempts to investigate effects of polymorphisms in serotonergic genes have been carried out, but so far, no study has conducted exploratory genotype analyses regarding the serotonin receptor 1A, 1B, and 2C subtypes, which have been hypothesized to mediate the inhibitory effects of serotonin on ejaculation in rodents.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of a total of six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in genes encoding serotonin receptor subtypes 1A, 1B, and 2C on self-reported ejaculation latency time.

Genetic and environmental effects on vocal symptoms and their intercorrelations.

Purpose: Recently, Simberg et al. (2009) found genetic effects on a composite variable consisting of 6 vocal symptom items measuring dysphonia. The purpose of the present study was to determine genetic and environmental effects on the individual vocal symptoms in a population-based sample of Finnish twins.

The relationship between same-sex sexual experience, sexual distress, and female sexual dysfunction.

Introduction: There is little research estimating the occurrence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in women with same-sex sexual experience and none incorporating a key feature of standardized DSM-IV diagnoses-sexual distress.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of FSD in women with and without same-sex sexual experience and whether any effects of same-sex sexual experience on women's sexual functioning are moderated by frequency and type of sexual activity.

Methods: The sample consisted of 5,998 female individuals aged 18-49 years.

Changes in the prevalence of child sexual abuse, its risk factors, and their associations as a function of age cohort in a Finnish population sample.

Objective: We examined (1) the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) experiences as a function of cohort and gender, (2) the prevalence of factors associated with CSA as a function of cohort and whether the association of these factors with CSA remained the same irrespective of cohort, and (3) whether any cohort differences could be explainable by cohort differences in reporting bias.

Method: We used the responses of 4,561 men (M=29, SD=7 years) and 8,361 female (M=29, SD=7 years) Finnish participants who responded to the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form as well as questions regarding family structure.

Results: The prevalence of CSA experiences varied between 0.

Controlling anger in self-reported sober and alcohol intoxicated states: moderating effects of trait anger and alcohol consumption.

Controlling anger in self-reported sober and alcohol intoxicated states: Moderating effects of trait anger and alcohol consumption. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 382-388. Retrospective self-reports about prior sober and alcohol intoxicated states were explored to reveal moderating effects of trait anger and alcohol consumption on anger control.

Testing causal models of the relationship between childhood gender atypical behaviour and parent-child relationship.

An association between childhood gender atypical behaviour (GAB) and a negative parent-child relationship has been demonstrated in several studies, yet the causal relationship of this association is not fully understood. In the present study, different models of causation between childhood GAB and parent-child relationships were tested. Direction of causation modelling was applied to twin data from a population-based sample (n= 2,565) of Finnish 33- to 43-year-old twins.

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to investigate associations between ejaculatory latency and control in partnered and non-partnered sexual activities.

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) was used to investigate associations between, and variations in, ejaculatory control and ejaculation latency time (ELT) over repeated measurements of sexual activities. Differences between measures recorded in partnered or non-partnered settings were also investigated. The sample consisted of 21 male Finns aged 18 years or above, contributing a total of 158 reports of partnered and non-partnered sexual activities over a six-week period.

Genetic effects on anger control and their interaction with alcohol intoxication: a self-report study.

Individual differences in anger control are important to consider when trying to understand intoxicated aggression (Parrott and Giancola, 2004). We explored, first, genetic and environmental effects on anger control both in self-reported sober and alcohol intoxicated states, and whether the same genetic and environmental effects influence it in both these states, and second, a possible interaction between genetic effects and alcohol in the control of anger. In the population based sample (N=8964) of Finnish twins (18-33 years) and their siblings (18 years or older), genetic effects on anger control were found both for the self-reported sober (27% for men, 34% for women) and alcohol intoxicated states (29% for men, 37% for women), with high genetic correlations (from .