Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and its relation to aggressive behavior among primary school students of both genders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The current study aimed to examine the correlation type between attention deficit hyperactivity disorders among primary school students of both genders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It also sought to make comparisons between the male and female primary school students regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and aggressive behavior. Further, the present study examined ADHD in children and its relationship to a number of other potentially related variables. The sample of the study consisted of 200 primary school students of both genders whose ages ranged between 9 to 13 years. To achieve the objectives of the study, it relied on the descriptive (correlative/comparative) method, especially the Pearson correlation coefficient and the T-test. The findings of the study show that there were more male children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aggressive behavior than female students. The results of the study confirm the results of other studies. The study recommends that there is a need for early detection of children with developmental and emotional disorders (like children with ADHD). The results of the present study are also consistent with the findings of previous studies that indicated that attention disorder associated with hyperactivity is positively associated with aggressive behavior in children of both sexes. It also proposes to prepare and arrange guidance programs for them and their parents and strive towards achieving optimal treatment of such children in the school environment.

Age Effects Aggressive Behavior: RNA-Seq Analysis in Cattle with Implications for Studying Neoteny Under Domestication

The reactive type of aggression is regulated mostly by the brain’s prefrontal cortex; however, the molecular changes underlying aggressiveness in adults have not been fully characterized. We used an RNA-seq approach to investigate differential gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of bovines from the aggressive Lidia breed at different ages: young three-year old and adult four-year-old bulls. A total of 50 up and 193 down-regulated genes in the adult group were identified. Furthermore, a cross-species comparative analysis retrieved 29 genes in common with previous studies on aggressive behaviors, representing an above-chance overlap with the differentially expressed genes in adult bulls. We detected changes in the regulation of networks such as synaptogenesis, involved in maintenance and refinement of synapses, and the glutamate receptor pathway, which acts as excitatory driver in aggressive responses. The reduced reactive aggression typical of domestication has been proposed to form part of a retention of juvenile traits as adults (neoteny).

Functionally Antagonistic Transcription Factors IRF1 and IRF2 Regulate the Transcription of the Dopamine Receptor D2 Gene Associated with Aggressive Behavior of Weaned Pigs

Aggressive behavior has negative effects on animal welfare and growth performance in pigs. The dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) has a critical neuromodulator role in the dopamine signal pathway within the brain to control behavior. A functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs1110730503, in the promoter region of the porcine DRD2 gene was identified, which affects aggressive behavior in pigs. A chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to identify the interactions between interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) and IRF2 with the DRD2 gene. The overexpression or knockdown of these two transcription factors in porcine kidney-15 (PK15) and porcine neuronal cells (PNCs) indicate that the binding of IRF1 to DRD2 promotes the transcription of the DRD2 gene, but the binding of IRF2 to the DRD2 gene inhibits its transcription. Furthermore, IRF1 and IRF2 are functionally antagonistic to each other. The downregulation of DRD2 or upregulation of IRF2 increased the apoptosis rate of porcine neuroglial cells. Taken together, we found that transcriptional factors IRF1 and IRF2 have vital roles in regulating the transcription of the DRD2 gene, and rs1110730503 (−915A/T) is a functional SNP that influences IRF2 binding to the promoter of the DRD2 gene. These findings will provide further insight towards controlling aggressive behavior in pigs.

Advantages of Machine Learning in Forensic Psychiatric Research—Uncovering the Complexities of Aggressive Behavior in Schizophrenia

Linear statistical methods may not be suited to the understanding of psychiatric phenomena such as aggression due to their complexity and multifactorial origins. Here, the application of machine learning (ML) algorithms offers the possibility of analyzing a large number of influencing factors and their interactions. This study aimed to explore inpatient aggression in offender patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) using a suitable ML model on a dataset of 370 patients. With a balanced accuracy of 77.6% and an AUC of 0.87, support vector machines (SVM) outperformed all the other ML algorithms. Negative behavior toward other patients, the breaking of ward rules, the PANSS score at admission as well as poor impulse control and impulsivity emerged as the most predictive variables in distinguishing aggressive from non-aggressive patients. The present study serves as an example of the practical use of ML in forensic psychiatric research regarding the complex interplay between the factors contributing to aggressive behavior in SSD. Through its application, it could be shown that mental illness and the antisocial behavior associated with it outweighed other predictors. The fact that SSD is also highly associated with antisocial behavior emphasizes the importance of early detection and sufficient treatment.

The Moderating Role of Surgency, Behavioral Inhibition, Negative Emotionality and Effortful Control in the Relationship between Parenting Style and Children’s Reactive and Proactive Aggression

The principal aim of this study is to explore the moderating role of temperament in the relationship between parenting style and the reactive and proactive aggressive behavior of 8-year-old children. The participants are 279 children (154 boys and 125 girls). To measure reactive and proactive aggression, children completed the reactive and proactive questionnaire (RPQ). Child temperament and parenting styles were evaluated by both parents using the temperament in middle childhood questionnaire (TMCQ) and the parenting styles and dimensions questionnaire (PSDQ). The results revealed that boys with high surgency levels and authoritarian fathers displayed more reactive aggression, whereas behaviorally inhibited boys with mothers who scored low for authoritarian parenting displayed less reactive aggression. Finally, girls with high levels of effortful control and mothers who scored low for authoritative parenting displayed more proactive aggression. The results highlight the value of studying the moderating role of temperament in the relationship between children’s aggressive behavior and both mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles, and underscores the importance of doing so separately for boys and girls.

The Frequency and Factors Related to Aggressive Behavior in Psychiatric Patients Controlled by a Variety of Restraint Methods

Background: Aggressive behavior of patients in psychiatric wards is one of the main challenges faced by healthcare workers. Despite the abundance of research on the frequency of aggressive behavior, not enough attention has been paid to its severity. Furthermore, limited studies have evaluated the restraint methods used to manage aggressive behaviors. Objectives: The current descriptive study aimed to compare the relationship between demographic characteristics, diagnosis of psychiatric illness, medical illness, and hospitalization characteristics with features of aggressive behavior in patients experiencing different types of restraint during hospitalization. Methods: We evaluated subjects admitted to the adult psychiatric wards of Imam Hossein and Taleghani hospitals in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. The patients were controlled by various restraint methods during hospitalization. All the patients were evaluated for the severity of aggression, which was determined utilizing the Persian version of the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS). All the data along with demographic and clinical characteristics obtained from medical records were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test (P-value = 0.05) and Spearman correlation coefficient to describe the factors affecting the aggressive behavior of patients. Results: In this study, the prevalence of aggressive behavior was 11.7%. Among the demographic variables, gender (P-value = 0.003), education level (P-value = 0.05), and the history of aggressive behavior (P-value = 0.001) were significantly associated with the MOAS. Furthermore, as the hospitalization duration increased, the frequency of aggressive behavior decreased, and its severity intensified. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between aggression severity with admission type (P-value = 0.00), concurrent medical illness (P-value = 0.026), and substance abuse (P-value = 0.025). Conclusions: According to the obtained results, the factors affecting the aggression and early identification of patients with the potential of aggressive behavior is an effective management strategy for controlling these patients.

Sex-specific effect of maternal thyroid hormone trajectories on preschoolers’ behavioral development: a birth cohort study

Context Maternal thyroid hormone trajectories are better predictor of offspring’s neurodevelopment than hormone levels in single trimester of pregnancy. Programming effect of uterine hormonal environment on offspring’s health is usually sex-specific. Objective To examine the sex-specific effect of thyroid hormone trajectories on preschoolers’ behavioral development. Design Based on Ma’ anshan Birth Cohort (MABC) in China, pregnant women were recruited at their first antenatal checkup from May 2013 to September 2014. Setting Ma’ anshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital in China. Patients or Other Participants 1860 mother-child pairs were included in the analysis. Children were followed up at age of 4. Main Outcome Measures Maternal thyroid hormones (TSH, FT4) and TPOAb in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy were retrospectively assayed. Preschoolers’ behavioral development was assessed by Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1.5~5). Results Maternal TSH and FT4 levels were respectively fitted into high, moderate and low trajectories. In boys, maternal high TSH trajectory was related to withdrawn (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.16, 3.50) and externalizing problems (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.22, 5.92), and moderate TSH trajectory was associated with aggressive behavior (OR = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.16, 12.23). Maternal high FT4 trajectory was associated with anxious/depressed (OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.56) and total problems (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.66), and low FT4 trajectory was associated with aggressive behavior (OR = 4.17, 95% CI: 1.22, 14.24). Conclusions Maternal thyroid hormone trajectories impact preschool boys’ behavioral development.