INCREASED AGGRESSIVE RESPONDING IN MALE-VOLUNTEERS FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF GRADUALLY INCREASING DOSES OF TESTOSTERONE CYPIONATE

The present study assessed the effects of supraphysiologic doses of te stosterone on aggressive responding in a controlled laboratory setting . Eight male subjects received gradually increasing doses of testoster one cypionate (150 mg/week for two weeks, 300 mg/week for two weeks, a nd 600 mg/week for two weeks) or placebo using a double-blind, randomi zed, cross-over design. Subjects were tested both before and after the series of injections. During the experimental session subjects could press a button to accumulate points exchangeable for money (non-aggres sive response) or press another button to subtract points from a ficti tious opponent (aggressive response). Aggressive responding was instig ated by subtracting points from the subject which was attributable to the fictitious opponent. Testosterone administration resulted in a sig nificantly higher number of aggressive responding compared to placebo.