title: Cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms of alcohol-related aggression.
abstract: Alcohol-related violence is a serious and common social problem. Moreover, violent behaviour is much more common in alcohol-dependent individuals. Animal experiments and human studies have provided insights into the acute effect of alcohol on aggressive behaviour and into common factors underlying acute and chronic alcohol intake and aggression. These studies have shown that environmental factors, such as early-life stress, interact with genetic variations in serotonin-related genes that affect serotonergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. This leads to increased amygdala activity and impaired prefrontal function that, together, predispose to both increased alcohol intake and impulsive aggression. In addition, acute and chronic alcohol intake can further impair executive control and thereby facilitate aggressive behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W Harrison Street, MC 285 Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA. andreas.heinz@ charite.de
authors.forename: Adrienne J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer-Lindenberg
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sterzer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinz
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009446:Neurobiology; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012919:Social Behavior; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D000431:Ethanol