Genetic and Clinical Correlates of Disruptive Behavior Disorder With and Without Callous-Unemotional Traits (GENCU 2025)

IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Callous Unemotional Traits; Oppositional Defiant Disorder; Conduct Disorder

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07322055

GENCU 2025

Details and patient eligibility

About

Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD), such as Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), affect children and adolescents in different ways. Research has shown that some individuals with DBD also display callous-unemotional (CU) traits, including a lack of guilt, uncaring behavior, and shallow emotions. This subgroup tends to have more severe symptoms and a higher risk of negative outcomes.

Previous studies suggest that genetic factors may play a role in the development of DBD with CU traits. For example, specific variations of the MAOA gene have been linked to difficulties in recognizing and processing emotions such as sadness and fear, which are often impaired in individuals with CU traits.

This study aims to explore how broader genetic profiles may affect DBD and CU traits. In the already enrolled sample, we will explore correlations between the collected clinical data and a larger set of genetic variants. The goal is to improve knowledge about the genetic factors that contribute to differences in behavior, which may help inform strategies to identify risk and resilience in individuals with disruptive behavioral traits.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 7 to 16 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Primary diagnosis of Conduct Disorder or Oppositional Defiant Disorder, obtained using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL);
• Age 7-16 years;
• Intelligence Quotient > 85;
• Italian nationality and Caucasian ethnicity (excluding Sardinians for reasons of ethnic uniformity);
• No relatives already enrolled in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Lack of signed Informed Consent;
• Diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder according to K-SADS-PL.