The association of serotonin receptor 3A methylation with maternal violence exposure, neural activity, and child aggression.

•Maternal severity of interpersonal violence exposure (IPV) was associated with diagnosis of maternal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).•Maternal IPV-PTSD was in turn associated with disturbed child attachment.•HTR3A gene methylation was linked to maternal IPV exposure and aggressive behavior and disturbed child attachment and self-endangering behavior.•HTR3A methylation at the CpG2_III site was linked to decreased medial prefrontal cortical activity in response to menacing relational stimuli.