SEROTONIN AND DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR - A CRITICAL-EVALUATION OF THE CLINICAL-DATA

Over the past two decades, several clinical studies have addressed the relationship between aggression, impulsivity and other aspects of dis ruptive behaviour and indicators of central serotonergic function, par ticularly hormonal challenge tests and CSF 5-HIAA measurements. Analys is of the 23 studies on CSF 5-HIAA and the 11 studies using challenge tests does not reveal unequivocal support for the serotonin-aggression hypothesis. Taking all the data together, it appears the disturbances in central serotonin neurotransmission, as reflected by lower CSF 5-H IAA. levels or blunted prolactin response to a serotonergic challenge compound, may be present in a subgroup of relatively young, male, pers onality-disordered patients. It is furthermore hypothesized that the f unctional state of monoaminergic neurotransmission should be studied i n relation to the corticosteroid-stress neurobiological systems in ord er to obtain relevant data about the contribution of genetic, developm ental and biological components in the evolvement of aggressive spectr um disorders.