title: Cerebrospinal fluid substance P-like immunoreactivity correlates with aggression in personality disordered subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurochemical studies have pointed to a modulatory role in human aggression for a variety of central neurotransmitters; some seem to play an inhibitory role, whereas others seem to play a facilitory role in the modulation of aggression. Laboratory animal studies of substance P suggest a facilitory role for this undecapeptide in the modulation of aggression, but no studies of substance P have yet been reported with regard to human aggression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basal lumbar cerebrospinal fluid samples were obtained from 38 physically healthy subjects with personality disorder (PD) and substance P-like immunoreactivity was measured and correlated with measures of aggression and impulsivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cerebrospinal fluid substance P-like immunoreactivity levels were directly correlated with a composite measure of aggression and, more specifically, with Buss-Durkee Aggression. No correlation was seen with any measure of impulsivity or of general dimensions of personality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest a direct relationship between central nervous system substance P containing neural circuits and aggression in human subjects. This finding adds to the complex picture of the central neuromodulatory role of impulsive aggression in human subjects.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. ecoccaro@yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Emil F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Coccaro
authors.forename: Royce
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Becky
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kinkead
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D013373:Substance P / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P