Serotonin and aggression.
The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) has been implicated in the modulation of aggression in animals and humans. A longstanding dogma that aggression and serotonergic activity are inversely related has to be abandoned in light of many new findings. Trait and state aggression are differentially regulated by the 5-HT system and different 5-HT receptors seem to be involved. Of the 14 different 5-HT receptors, the 5-HT(1B) receptor, particularly the postsynaptically located 5-HT(1B) heteroreceptor, plays a highly selective role in the modulation of offensive aggression. We are still far from understanding the complex role played by the serotonergic system in the modulation of a complex set of behaviors like aggression.
Olivier
Berend
B
Department of Psychopharmacology, Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 36, 3584CA Utrecht, the Netherlands. b.olivier@pharm.uu.nl
D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000235:genetics*; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B / Q000235:genetics*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000235:genetics*
D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D012701:Serotonin