Central serotonin activity and aggression: inverse relationship with prolactin response to d-fenfluramine, but not CSF 5-HIAA concentration, in human subjects.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared the nature and magnitude of the relationship between aggression and CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) concentration with that between aggression and the prolactin response to d-fenfluramine challenge in human subjects.


METHODS
The Life History of Aggression assessment scores of 24 subjects with personality disorders were compared with their lumbar CSF 5-HIAA concentrations and with their prolactin responses to d-fenfluramine challenge.


RESULTS
Aggression was significantly and inversely correlated with prolactin responses to d-fenfluramine challenge but not with lumbar CSF 5-HIAA concentrations in these subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolactin response to d-fenfluramine may be more sensitive than lumbar CSF 5-HIAA concentration in detecting a relationship between aggression and central serotonin activity in noncriminally violent human subjects.
Coccaro
E F
EF
Department of Psychiatry, MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Kavoussi
R J
RJ
Cooper
T B
TB
Hauger
R L
RL
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D014754:Violence
D005277:Fenfluramine; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D011388:Prolactin