Citation

Snoek H, Van Goozen SH, Matthys W, Sigling HO, Koppeschaar HP, Westenberg HG, Van Engeland H. Biol. Psychiatry 2002; 51(4): 319-325.

Affiliation

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, B01-201, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, Utrecht 3508 GA, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11958783

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Several studies support the notion that disturbances in the central serotonergic function are related to impulsive aggression. There is recent evidence from studies on 5-HT(1B) knock-out mice that this specific receptor is involved in impulsive aggressive behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor functioning in normal intelligent hospitalized children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). METHODS: The growth hormone (GH) response to a challenge with the 5-HT(1B/1D) agonist sumatriptan was examined in 20 children with an ODD, of whom 13 had an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comorbidity, and 15 normal control subjects (NC). Blood samples for growth hormone were collected repeatedly between 8:30 and 12:00 AM. Sumatriptan was administered at 10 AM. The effect of stress due to this procedure was assessed by measuring salivary cortisol. RESULTS: The GH response was significantly stronger in the children with ODD. After sumatriptan injection NC children showed a significant increase in cortisol; no such pattern was present in the ODD group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the postsynaptic 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor is functionally more sensitive in children with ODD.

Language: en