Genetic contribution to modulation of social behavior in humans: relevance for the forensic and legal settings

Behavioral genetics studies the influence of genetics on behavior, including decision-making processes in economic settings and development of pro- and anti-social acting. This discipline is yielding important discoveries that are contributing to shed novel light on the subtle interplay between nature and nurture, a topic of philosophical and scientific debate since the earliest times. In this paper, we briefly review and discuss the most recent findings on the genetic contribution to the development of impulsive and antisocial aggressive behavior, highlighting their importance in forensic settings, and in particular in regards to the psychiatric evaluation of criminal responsibility.