Citation

Wetzler S, Kahn RS, Asnis GM, Korn M, van Praag HM. Psychiatry Res. 1991; 37(3): 271-279.

Affiliation

Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1891509

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between increased serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) receptor sensitivity and human aggression. A low oral dose of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (MCPP), a postsynaptic 5HT receptor agonist, was administered in a placebo-controlled design to depressed (n = 22) and panic disorder (n = 20) patients classified with or without signs of outwardly directed aggression, patients with a history of suicide attempts (inwardly directed aggression) (n = 11), and normal controls (n = 19). Hormones under 5HT control were measured at 30-min intervals. Results were as follows: (1) MCPP did not induce or reduce anger, (2) patients with outwardly directed aggression did not have significantly greater MCPP-induced cortisol or prolactin release than did patients without signs of outwardly directed aggression, (3) patients with a history of suicide attempts did not have significantly greater MCPP-induced cortisol or prolactin release than did normal controls, and (4) MCPP-induced hormone release was unrelated to measures of aggression.

Language: en