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Genetic underpinnings of risky behaviour relate to altered neuroanatomy

Author

Listed:
  • Gökhan Aydogan

    (University of Zurich)

  • Remi Daviet

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Richard Karlsson Linnér

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Todd A. Hare

    (University of Zurich)

  • Joseph W. Kable

    (University of Pennsylvania
    University of Pennsylvania)

  • Henry R. Kranzler

    (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
    Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center)

  • Reagan R. Wetherill

    (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)

  • Christian C. Ruff

    (University of Zurich)

  • Philipp D. Koellinger

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Gideon Nave

    (University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

Previous research points to the heritability of risk-taking behaviour. However, evidence on how genetic dispositions are translated into risky behaviour is scarce. Here, we report a genetically informed neuroimaging study of real-world risky behaviour across the domains of drinking, smoking, driving and sexual behaviour in a European sample from the UK Biobank (N = 12,675). We find negative associations between risky behaviour and grey-matter volume in distinct brain regions, including amygdala, ventral striatum, hypothalamus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). These effects are replicated in an independent sample recruited from the same population (N = 13,004). Polygenic risk scores for risky behaviour, derived from a genome-wide association study in an independent sample (N = 297,025), are inversely associated with grey-matter volume in dlPFC, putamen and hypothalamus. This relation mediates roughly 2.2% of the association between genes and behaviour. Our results highlight distinct heritable neuroanatomical features as manifestations of the genetic propensity for risk taking.

Suggested Citation

  • Gökhan Aydogan & Remi Daviet & Richard Karlsson Linnér & Todd A. Hare & Joseph W. Kable & Henry R. Kranzler & Reagan R. Wetherill & Christian C. Ruff & Philipp D. Koellinger & Gideon Nave, 2021. "Genetic underpinnings of risky behaviour relate to altered neuroanatomy," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(6), pages 787-794, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:5:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-020-01027-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-01027-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Gangadharan, Lata & Islam, Asad & Ouch, Chandarany & Wang, Liang Choon, 2022. "The long-term effects of genocide on antisocial preferences," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    2. Shaw, Steven D. & Nave, Gideon, 2023. "Don't hate the player, hate the game: Realigning incentive structures to promote robust science and better scientific practices in marketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).

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