r study providing support for biogenetic causes of rape, Brunner, Nelen, Breakefield, Ropers and van Oost (1993) conducted genetic and metabolic research on a large kindred in which several males were affected by a syndrome of borderline mental retardation and abnormal behavior. The types of behavior that occurred include impulsive aggression, arson, exhibitionism and rape.
Analysis of 24-hour urine samples indicated markedly disturbed monoamine metabolism. This syndrome was associated with a complete and selective deficiency of enzymatic activity of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA). The authors reported that:
In each of five affected males, a point mutation was identified in the eighth exon of the MAOA structural gene, which changes a glutamine to a termination codon. Thus, isolated complete MAOA deficiency in this family is associated with a recognizable behavioral phenotype that includes disturbed regulation of impulsive aggression. (p. 578)
An extremely interesting study of biological/environmental factors and rape was c
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