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Related Experiment Videos

Does serotonin influence aggression? comparing regional activity before and during social interaction.

Cliff H Summers1, Wayne J Korzan, Jodi L Lukkes

  • 1Biology and Neuroscience, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. cliff@usd.edu

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ
|August 2, 2005
PubMed
Summary

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Lower baseline serotonin levels in specific brain regions may predict aggressive behavior in male lizards. This suggests serotonin

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Biology
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Serotonin is generally thought to inhibit aggression.
  • Studies show aggressive social interactions increase serotonergic activity in various species.
  • The relationship between serotonin and aggression before interaction is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if serotonin levels predict aggression before social interaction.
  • To examine regional differences in serotonergic activity related to social rank and aggression.

Main Methods:

  • Determined dominant and aggressive male Anolis carolinensis lizards.
  • Assessed aggression through latency to feed after capture and courtship speed.
  • Measured baseline serotonergic activity in specific brain regions.

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Main Results:

  • Baseline serotonin levels differed regionally between aggressive and less aggressive males.
  • Aggressive males had lower baseline serotonin in the septum, nucleus accumbens, striatum, medial amygdala, anterior hypothalamus, raphe, and locus ceruleus.
  • Aggressive social interaction increased serotonergic activity, particularly in the nucleus accumbens, in the most aggressive males.

Conclusions:

  • Serotonergic activity is regionally differentiated by social rank before aggressive encounters.
  • Lower baseline serotonin in certain brain areas may be associated with increased aggression.
  • The stress of aggressive interactions significantly elevates serotonergic activity in highly aggressive individuals.