TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1999//
TI  - The effects of tryptophan depletion and loading on laboratory aggression in men: time course and a food-restricted control
JO  - Psychopharmacology
A1  - Bjork, J. M.
A1  - Dougherty, D. M.
A1  - Moeller, F. G.
A1  - Cherek, D. R.
A1  - Swann, A. C.
SP  - 24
EP  - 30
VL  - 142
IS  - 1
N2  - Some studies have shown that sharp reduction of L-tryptophan (Trp) concentration in plasma results in increases in laboratory-measured aggression. Conversely, raising plasma Trp has blunted aggression. These effects are presumably due to impaired or enhanced serotonin synthesis and neurotransmission in the brain. In this study, the laboratory-measured aggressive behavior of eight men under both Trp depletion (T-) and Trp loading (T+) conditions was compared to their aggressive behavior under food-restricted control conditions (overnight fast without an amino acid beverage). Subjects were provoked by periodic subtraction of money which was attributed to a fictitious other participant, and aggression was defined as the number of retaliatory responses the subject made ostensibly to reduce the earnings of the (fictitious) other participant. Following ingestion of the T- beverage, aggressive responding was significantly elevated relative to the food-restricted control condition, and this increased aggressive behavior became more pronounced across behavioral testing sessions on a time-course which paralleled previously documented decreases in plasma Trp concentrations. In contrast, no changes were observed in aggressive responding under T+ conditions relative to food-restricted conditions. These within-subject behavioral changes under depleted plasma Trp conditions support earlier indications of a role of serotonin in regulating aggression.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0033-3158
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -