title: Heart rate response to alcohol and intoxicated aggressive behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the elevated heart rate (HR) response to alcohol intoxication, thought to reflect an increased sensitivity to alcohol-induced reward, as a potential factor in the increased likelihood of alcohol-induced aggression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups, intoxicated high (n=37) and low (n=37) HR responders and sober controls (n=73), participated in a laboratory measure of physical aggression, the Taylor Aggression Paradigm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed that intoxicated high HR responders were more aggressive than the intoxicated low HR responders and sober controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are interpreted within a hypothetical model relating increased alcohol-induced aggression to a dysregulation in the motivational system responding to rewards.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McGill University & Research Unit of Children's Psycho-Social Maladjustment, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Assaad
authors.forename: Robert O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Pihl
authors.forename: Jean R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Séguin
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nagin
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitaro
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol