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Scientists Discover 'Crime Gene'
Buggernut writes "Researchers from King's College in London have found that boys who have a particular version of a gene are much more likely to go off the rails if they suffer maltreatment when young." MAO breaks down a whole class of brain-affecting chemicals, and MAO inhibitors are commonly used to treat depression (but are known to produce mood swings and violence). So if you have a genetic predisposition to low levels of MAO, your resistance to various mood-altering chemicals is lowered. You ever get the feeling that we're tinkering with a hugely complex system and observing only one or two of the most pronounced effects?
This brings up an interesting question...
If someone has this gene, and got in to trouble, are they responsible for their own actions? We have already kept mentaly retarded people from getting the death penalty, are these people next?