HELSINKI, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Finnish research team has identified two gene variants associated with violent behaviors, a new study has showed.
The joint research was conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, University of Helsinki, the Finnish Institute for health and social welfare, Niuvanniemi hospital and the Criminal Sanctions Agency of Finland, as well as Karolinska Institute of Sweden.
The researchers analyzed about 900 Finnish criminals, and identified that two gene variants may relate to violent offences. The association was strongest in individuals with repeated violent offences.
The genes were identified as MAOA and CDH13. The researchers estimated that the variants of the two genes may account for some 5 to 10 percent of violent offences in Finland.
"The findings increase our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms behind aggressive behaviors," Tiina Paunio from the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare said on Tuesday.
However, she added that the results cannot be used for purposes of screening or crime prevention, as one third of people have the CDH13 gene variant.
The research was published in the latest issue of journal Molecular Psychiatry. Editor: yan