Serotonin receptor sensitivity and aggression.
This study investigated the relationship between increased serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) receptor sensitivity and human aggression. A low oral dose of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (MCPP), a postsynaptic 5HT receptor agonist, was administered in a placebo-controlled design to depressed (n = 22) and panic disorder (n = 20) patients classified with or without signs of outwardly directed aggression, patients with a history of suicide attempts (inwardly directed aggression) (n = 11), and normal controls (n = 19). Hormones under 5HT control were measured at 30-min intervals. Results were as follows: (1) MCPP did not induce or reduce anger, (2) patients with outwardly directed aggression did not have significantly greater MCPP-induced cortisol or prolactin release than did patients without signs of outwardly directed aggression, (3) patients with a history of suicide attempts did not have significantly greater MCPP-induced cortisol or prolactin release than did normal controls, and (4) MCPP-induced hormone release was unrelated to measures of aggression.
Wetzler
S
S
Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467.
Kahn
R S
RS
Asnis
G M
GM
Korn
M
M
van Praag
H M
HM
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000786:Anger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010879:Piperazines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology
D010879:Piperazines; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine