title: Impulsive aggression and central serotonergic system function in humans: an example of a dimensional brain-behavior relationship.
abstract: A dimensional relationship between central serotonergic (5-HT) system function and indices of suicidal and impulsive aggressive behaviors has been suggested by more than a decade of research in patients with psychiatric disorders. This paper reviews a series of studies conducted in healthy male individuals and in male patients with major mood and/or personality disorder involving pharmacochallenge and neurochemical strategies designed to explore the role of central 5-HT system function in the regulation of suicidal and impulsive aggressive behavior in humans. The results of these studies suggest that reduced overall central 5-HT function in the limbic-hypothalamic system is associated with suicidal and/or impulsive aggressive behaviors in patients with major mood and/or personality disorders and that diminished 5-HT post-synaptic receptor function in this brain region may be an important biological correlate of these behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, Philadelphia 19129.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Coccaro
mesh_terms: D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005277:Fenfluramine; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000378:metabolism*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D005277:Fenfluramine; D012701:Serotonin; D011388:Prolactin