Examining Associations Between Genetic and Neural Risk for Externalizing Behaviors in Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Researchers have identified genetic and neural risk factors for externalizing behaviors. The current study sought to determine how these polygenic risk for externalizing behavior (EXT PRS) and P3 amplitude related to externalizing behavior and to determine if genetic risk is conferred in part through neural risk markers. We found that while both the EXT PRS and P3 were associated with externalizing behavior, however; the EXT PRS and P3 amplitude were not significantly associated. This finding suggests that each variable confers risk for externalizing behaviors independently and perhaps they may give rise to different facets of externalizing behavior.

Brislin SJ, Salvatore JE, Meyers JM, Kamarajan C, Plawecki MH, Edenberg HJ, Kuperman S, Tischfield J, Hesselbrock V, Anokhin AP, Chorlian DB, Schuckit MA, Nurnberger JI, Jr., Bauer L, Pandey G, Pandey AK, Kramer JR, Chan G, Porjesz B, COGA Collaborators, Dick DM (2023) Examining associations between genetic and neural risk for externalizing behaviors in adolescence and early adulthood. Psychological Medicine, 52(6), 1-11. PMID: 37203444; DOI: 10.1017/S0033291723001174.