Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Serotonin function in human subjects: intercorrelations among central 5-HT indices and aggressiveness

E F Coccaro1, R J Kavoussi, R L Trestman

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.

Psychiatry Research
|February 17, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Serotonin (5-HT) system activity, measured by prolactin responses to drug challenges, correlates with assaultiveness in personality-disordered individuals. Basal 5-HT levels did not show this association.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Gender differences and similarities in aggression, suicidal behaviour, and psychiatric comorbidity in borderline personality disorder.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2018
Same author

Thought disorder in the meta-structure of psychopathology.

Psychological medicine·2012
Same author

Moderating effects of childhood maltreatment on associations between social information processing and adult aggression.

Psychological medicine·2011
Same author

Increased serotonin 2C receptor mRNA editing: a possible risk factor for suicide.

Molecular psychiatry·2007
Same author

Personality disorders in subjects with anxiety disorders.

Current psychiatry reports·2003
Same author

Affective instability and impulsivity in borderline personality and bipolar II disorders: similarities and differences.

Journal of psychiatric research·2001

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Serotonin (5-HT) plays a crucial role in regulating mood and behavior.
  • Dysregulation of the 5-HT system is implicated in various psychiatric disorders, including personality disorders.
  • Understanding central 5-HT activity is vital for developing targeted treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the intercorrelations among different indices of central serotonin system activity.
  • To examine the relationship between these 5-HT indices and assaultiveness in personality-disordered individuals.
  • To determine if post-synaptic 5-HT measures are better predictors of assaultiveness than pre-synaptic measures.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed three central serotonin (5-HT) system activity indices: CSF 5-HIAA, prolactin response to m-CPP (PRL[m-CPP]), and prolactin response to fenfluramine (PRL[FEN]).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measured assaultiveness using the Buss-Durkee 'Assault' inventory in individuals with personality disorders.
  • Analyzed correlations between 5-HT indices and assaultiveness scores.

    • Main Results:

    • Prolactin responses to fenfluramine (PRL[FEN]) were inversely related to CSF 5-HIAA concentration and positively correlated with PRL[m-CPP].
    • Both PRL[FEN] and PRL[m-CPP] showed significant inverse correlations with Buss-Durkee 'Assault' scores.
    • Basal CSF 5-HIAA concentration did not correlate with Buss-Durkee 'Assault' scores.

    Conclusions:

    • Post-synaptic serotonin receptor activation, as indicated by prolactin responses to m-CPP and fenfluramine, is inversely correlated with assaultiveness in personality-disordered individuals.
    • Basal pre-synaptic serotonin function (CSF 5-HIAA) does not appear to be directly related to assaultive tendencies in this population.
    • These findings suggest that measures of central 5-HT postsynaptic activity may be more relevant than basal measures for understanding aggressive behavior in certain psychiatric conditions.