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Related Concept Videos

Aggression01:47

Aggression

Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for hire...
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents01:23

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...
Behavior Therapy01:22

Behavior Therapy

Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists01:23

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists

Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...
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Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...
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Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders

Treatment approaches for psychological disorders fall into three main categories: psychological, biological, and sociocultural. Each approach targets different aspects of mental health, requiring varying levels of education and training.
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method
07:12

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Published on: August 2, 2021

Serotonin augmentation reduces response to attack in aggressive individuals.

Mitchell E Berman1, Michael S McCloskey, Jennifer R Fanning

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA. mitchell.berman@usm.edu

Psychological Science
|May 9, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Augmenting serotonin activity with paroxetine reduced aggression in individuals with a history of aggression when provoked. This suggests serotonin plays a key role in modulating aggressive responses to provocation.

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Published on: July 4, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is theorized to regulate aggression.
  • Its role in modulating responses to provocation requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test if central serotonin activity regulates aggression by modulating response to provocation.
  • To investigate the effect of acute serotonin augmentation on aggressive behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Eighty participants (40 with and 40 without a history of aggression) received either paroxetine or a placebo in a double-blind procedure.
  • Aggression was assessed using a competitive reaction time game involving shock selection.
  • Provocation was manipulated through increasing shock intensity from a fictitious opponent.

Main Results:

  • Aggressive responding after provocation was significantly attenuated in individuals with a history of aggression.
  • Augmentation of serotonin activity reduced aggressive behavior in this specific group.

Conclusions:

  • Central serotonin activity plays a crucial role in modulating aggressive responses to provocation.
  • Acute serotonin augmentation may be a viable strategy for reducing aggression in susceptible individuals.