Looking for reward in all the wrong places: dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms indirectly affect aggression through sensation-seeking

David S. Chester; C. Nathan DeWall; Karen J. Derefinko; Steven Estus; Donald R. Lynam; Jessica R. Peters; Yang Jiang

doi:10.1080/17470919.2015.1119191

Looking for reward in all the wrong places: dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms indirectly affect aggression through sensation-seeking

David S. Chester, C. Nathan DeWall, Karen J. Derefinko, Steven Estus, Donald R. Lynam, Jessica R. Peters, Yang Jiang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Individuals with genotypes that code for reduced dopaminergic brain activity often exhibit a predisposition toward aggression. However, it remains largely unknown how dopaminergic genotypes may increase aggression. Lower-functioning dopamine systems motivate individuals to seek reward from external sources such as illicit drugs and other risky experiences. Based on emerging evidence that aggression is a rewarding experience, we predicted that the effect of lower-functioning dopaminergic functioning on aggression would be mediated by tendencies to seek the environment for rewards. Caucasian female and male undergraduates (N = 277) were genotyped for five polymorphisms of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene; they reported their previous history of aggression and their dispositional reward-seeking. Lower-functioning DRD2 profiles were associated with greater sensation-seeking, which then predicted greater aggression. Our findings suggest that lower-functioning dopaminergic activity puts individuals at risk for violence because it motivates them to experience aggression’s hedonically rewarding qualities.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	487-494
Number of pages	8
Journal	Social Neuroscience
Volume	11
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2015.1119191
State	Published - Sep 2 2016

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health [grant number P50-DA05312] to University of Kentucky?s Center for Drug Abuse Research Translation and from University of Kentucky?s Department of Behavioral Science. The authors also gratefully acknowledge research support from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse [grant number DA007304], [grant number T32DA035200]; the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [grant number UL1TR000117] of the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Taylor & Francis.

Keywords

DRD2
Dopamine
aggression
reward
sensation-seeking

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Development
Behavioral Neuroscience

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1080/17470919.2015.1119191

Cite this

@article{f6655c9c356b4bce977e4b7b392adfd1,

title = "Looking for reward in all the wrong places: dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms indirectly affect aggression through sensation-seeking",

abstract = "Individuals with genotypes that code for reduced dopaminergic brain activity often exhibit a predisposition toward aggression. However, it remains largely unknown how dopaminergic genotypes may increase aggression. Lower-functioning dopamine systems motivate individuals to seek reward from external sources such as illicit drugs and other risky experiences. Based on emerging evidence that aggression is a rewarding experience, we predicted that the effect of lower-functioning dopaminergic functioning on aggression would be mediated by tendencies to seek the environment for rewards. Caucasian female and male undergraduates (N = 277) were genotyped for five polymorphisms of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene; they reported their previous history of aggression and their dispositional reward-seeking. Lower-functioning DRD2 profiles were associated with greater sensation-seeking, which then predicted greater aggression. Our findings suggest that lower-functioning dopaminergic activity puts individuals at risk for violence because it motivates them to experience aggression{\textquoteright}s hedonically rewarding qualities.",

keywords = "DRD2, Dopamine, aggression, reward, sensation-seeking",

author = "Chester, {David S.} and DeWall, {C. Nathan} and Derefinko, {Karen J.} and Steven Estus and Lynam, {Donald R.} and Peters, {Jessica R.} and Yang Jiang",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health [grant number P50-DA05312] to University of Kentucky?s Center for Drug Abuse Research Translation and from University of Kentucky?s Department of Behavioral Science. The authors also gratefully acknowledge research support from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse [grant number DA007304], [grant number T32DA035200]; the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [grant number UL1TR000117] of the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Taylor & Francis.",

year = "2016",

month = sep,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1080/17470919.2015.1119191",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

pages = "487--494",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Looking for reward in all the wrong places

T2 - dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms indirectly affect aggression through sensation-seeking

AU - Chester, David S.

AU - DeWall, C. Nathan

AU - Derefinko, Karen J.

AU - Estus, Steven

AU - Lynam, Donald R.

AU - Peters, Jessica R.

AU - Jiang, Yang

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health [grant number P50-DA05312] to University of Kentucky?s Center for Drug Abuse Research Translation and from University of Kentucky?s Department of Behavioral Science. The authors also gratefully acknowledge research support from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse [grant number DA007304], [grant number T32DA035200]; the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [grant number UL1TR000117] of the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Taylor & Francis.

PY - 2016/9/2

Y1 - 2016/9/2

N2 - Individuals with genotypes that code for reduced dopaminergic brain activity often exhibit a predisposition toward aggression. However, it remains largely unknown how dopaminergic genotypes may increase aggression. Lower-functioning dopamine systems motivate individuals to seek reward from external sources such as illicit drugs and other risky experiences. Based on emerging evidence that aggression is a rewarding experience, we predicted that the effect of lower-functioning dopaminergic functioning on aggression would be mediated by tendencies to seek the environment for rewards. Caucasian female and male undergraduates (N = 277) were genotyped for five polymorphisms of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene; they reported their previous history of aggression and their dispositional reward-seeking. Lower-functioning DRD2 profiles were associated with greater sensation-seeking, which then predicted greater aggression. Our findings suggest that lower-functioning dopaminergic activity puts individuals at risk for violence because it motivates them to experience aggression’s hedonically rewarding qualities.

AB - Individuals with genotypes that code for reduced dopaminergic brain activity often exhibit a predisposition toward aggression. However, it remains largely unknown how dopaminergic genotypes may increase aggression. Lower-functioning dopamine systems motivate individuals to seek reward from external sources such as illicit drugs and other risky experiences. Based on emerging evidence that aggression is a rewarding experience, we predicted that the effect of lower-functioning dopaminergic functioning on aggression would be mediated by tendencies to seek the environment for rewards. Caucasian female and male undergraduates (N = 277) were genotyped for five polymorphisms of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene; they reported their previous history of aggression and their dispositional reward-seeking. Lower-functioning DRD2 profiles were associated with greater sensation-seeking, which then predicted greater aggression. Our findings suggest that lower-functioning dopaminergic activity puts individuals at risk for violence because it motivates them to experience aggression’s hedonically rewarding qualities.

KW - DRD2

KW - Dopamine

KW - aggression

KW - reward

KW - sensation-seeking

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949206522&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84949206522&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/17470919.2015.1119191

DO - 10.1080/17470919.2015.1119191

M3 - Article

C2 - 26592425

AN - SCOPUS:84949206522

VL - 11

SP - 487

EP - 494

IS - 5

ER -

Looking for reward in all the wrong places: dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms indirectly affect aggression through sensation-seeking

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this