@article{ref1,
title="Aggressive Behavior Linked to Corticotropin-Reactive Autoantibodies",
journal="Biological psychiatry",
year="2006",
author="Fetissov, Serguei O. and Hallman, J. and Nilsson, Ida and Lefvert, Ann-Kari and Oreland, Lars and Hökfelt, Tomas",
volume="60",
number="8",
pages="799-802",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Altered stress response is characteristic for subjects with abnormal aggressive and antisocial behavior, but the underlying biological mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that autoantibodies (autoAbs) directed against several stress-related neurohormones may exist in aggressive subjects. METHODS: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we studied whether autoAbs directed against corticotropin (ACTH), alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), oxytocin, and vasopressin are present in serum of male subjects with conduct disorder and prisoners with history of violence. Healthy blood donors served as control subjects. RESULTS: Both conduct disorder and prisoners groups displayed strongly increased levels of ACTH-reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) autoAbs compared with control subjects. Levels of oxytocin-reactive IgM autoAbs were slightly increased in both groups of aggressive subjects, whereas levels of vasopressin-reactive IgG and IgM autoAbs were lower only in conduct disorder. No differences in the levels of alpha-MSH-reactive autoAbs were found between aggressive and control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of ACTH-reactive autoAbs as well as altered levels of oxytocin- and vasopressin-reactive autoAbs found in aggressive subjects may interfere with the neuroendocrine mechanisms of stress and motivated behavior. Our data suggest a new biological mechanism of human aggressive behavior that involves autoAbs directed against several stress-related neurohormones.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0006-3223",
doi="10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.081",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.081"
}