Background & objectives

Though it has been argued that courts should admit biogenetic evidence on psychopathy, no research to date has evaluated whether individuals with clinical psychopathy have consistent genetic correlates. The current study: 1) systematically reviewed all quantitative and molecular genetic studies of PCL-R psychopathy, and 2) assessed the quality and reproducibility of findings.

Review methods

Using PRISMA guidelines, we reviewed 1 heritability and 15 molecular genetic studies of PCL-R psychopathy. Sample characteristics, research design, and the main findings of each study were qualitatively synthesized according to candidate neurotransmitter systems. We also assessed broad metrics of study quality such as sample generalizability, accounting for environmental or clinical variability in analyses, and replication of effects.

Results

Heritability estimates for the facets of clinical psychopathy were low. Molecular genetic findings were inconsistent and mostly unreplicated. Further, replicated findings were contradictory; elevated dopamine metabolite levels observed in independent samples was qualified by a lack of association between a candidate dopamine polymorphism and PCL-R scores. Inconsistent findings may be related to issues with study quality. Though most studies had clear hypotheses and generalizable samples, few accounted for clinical complexity of those samples, environmental factors, or gene-environment interplay.

Implications

The current review suggests that the genetic bases of PCL-R psychopathy are not robust enough for forensic application. Genetic findings in people with antisocial characteristics (violence, addiction, CU traits) may not generalize to those with PCL-R psychopathy.

Public significance statement

Though genetic bases for psychopathy are widely accepted, we found very little evidence for consistent genetic correlates when we systematically reviewed studies of legally relevant PCL-R psychopathy.

中文翻译：

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PCL-R精神病的遗传相关性：系统评价

背景与目标

尽管有人认为法院应该承认精神病的生物遗传证据，但迄今为止没有研究评估患有临床精神病的个体是否具有一致的遗传相关性。目前的研究：1) 系统回顾了 PCL-R 精神病的所有定量和分子遗传学研究，2) 评估了研究结果的质量和可重复性。

审查方法

使用 PRISMA 指南，我们回顾了 PCL-R 精神病的 1 项遗传性和 15 项分子遗传学研究。根据候选神经递质系统定性综合了样本特征、研究设计和每项研究的主要发现。我们还评估了研究质量的广泛指标，例如样本可推广性、分析中考虑环境或临床变异性以及效果的复制。

结果

临床精神病方面的遗传力估计值很低。分子遗传学研究结果不一致，且大多未复制。此外，重复的发现是矛盾的。在独立样本中观察到的升高的多巴胺代谢物水平是由于候选多巴胺多态性与 PCL-R 评分之间缺乏关联而定性的。不一致的发现可能与研究质量问题有关。尽管大多数研究都有明确的假设和可推广的样本，但很少有人解释这些样本的临床复杂性、环境因素或基因-环境相互作用。

影响

目前的审查表明，PCL-R 精神病的遗传基础不足以进行法医应用。具有反社会特征（暴力、成瘾、CU 特征）的人的遗传发现可能无法推广到 PCL-R 精神病患者。

公共意义声明

尽管精神病的遗传基础被广泛接受，但当我们系统地回顾与法律相关的 PCL-R 精神病的研究时，我们几乎没有发现一致的遗传相关性的证据。