CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID 5-HYDROXYINDOLACETIC ACID AND AGGRESSION - A CRITICAL REAPPRAISAL OF THE CLINICAL-DATA

Over the past 15 years several clinical studies have been published de aling with the hypothesis that disturbances in central serotonergic fu nctioning could be related to outward directed aggression and impulsiv ity. Close reading of the 22 relevant reports, however, raises doubt a bout the unequivocality of the results across diagnostic boundaries an d in comparison with normal controls, Only eight of the studies are me thodologically acceptable and seem to support the hypothesis, Taking a il data together, it is concluded that some relationship exists betwee n decreased serotonin metabolism, as reflected by lowered cerebrospina l fluid 5-hydroxyindolaeetic acid, and certain aspects of aggressive b ehavior in a subgroup of young, male, personality-disordered subjects with seriously deviant behavior.