Blunted prolactin responses to d-fenfluramine in sociopathy. Evidence for subsensitivity of central serotonergic function.
Using a neuroendocrine probe we studied nine male offenders in a forensic hospital, convicted of murder, with a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, who had been behaviourally 'quiescent' for varying periods and who had not recently been abusing drugs. Nine healthy age-matched men also participated. All subjects received 30 mg d-fenfluramine (d-FEN), a 5-HT releasing agent, orally, after an overnight fast, and serial samples for prolactin estimation were taken hourly for five hours. Responses were significantly impaired in the patients, suggesting a subsensitivity of certain 5-HT systems in antisocial personality disorder, regardless of recent or ongoing behavioural disturbance.
O'Keane
V
V
Psychiatric Unit, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
Moloney
E
E
O'Neill
H
H
O'Connor
A
A
Smith
C
C
Dinan
T G
TG
D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005277:Fenfluramine; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007298:Insanity Defense; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D014754:Violence
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D005277:Fenfluramine; D012701:Serotonin; D011388:Prolactin