MATRICS

Behavioral problems and aggression are common problems in youth. Estimates of the number of children and adolescents with different kinds of behavioral problems range from approximately 2 to 16%. Estimates differ between boys and girls, but also based on age and ethnicity. A lot is still unknown regarding the causes of behavioral problems. However, it is known that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual vulnerability to aggressive and problematic behavior.

As part of MATRICS, researchers from Accare collaborate with multiple domestic and international partners to study the genetics of and environmental risk factors related to aggression, and the interplay between genetics and environment. We also studied brain structure and functions related to disruptive and aggressive behaviors (in collaboration with other research projects such as the EU project Aggressotype).

MATRICS uses state-of-the-art techniques including genetic studies and MR imaging of the brain. To this end, the involved researchers use existing (international) human cohorts with often many hundreds to thousands of participants. Furthermore, within the MATRICS project, other researchers also use animal models, cell studies and artificial intelligence to study aggression.

Part of the results from MATRICS have already been published and soon more output is expected. One of the things that is confirmed by already published results is the involvement of a multitude of genetic and environmental factors in aggression. Moreover, the interplay between these factors is complex. Certain genetic factors may make a child more vulnerable to certain environmental adversities, and in this respect some children may develop aggressive behavior whereas other may not.

Regarding risk factors related to aggression and behavioral problems, the results from MATRICS show that not only factors during childhood and adolescence (e.g. exposure to traumatic events) may affect child behavior, but also factors early in life (such as stress, paracetamol use or smoking during pregnancy). A number of these environmental factors appear to be also  genetically determined to some degree. Furthermore, subtle differences in brain structure and function between children displaying different levels of behavioral problems have been suggested by current studies.

This research study involves collaboration with the University Medical Centre Groningen, University Groningen, the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, The Radboud university Nijmegen, the Drug Target ID (DTID) Ltd. Nijmegen and the University of Exeter (UK).