DOPAMINE-BETA-HYDROXYLASE IN BEHAVIORALLY DISTURBED YOUTH - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHER AND PARENT RATINGS

A series of neurotransmitters, metabolites, and enzymes considered rel evant to emotional and behavioral disorders was studied in blood sampl es obtained from boys admitted to a residential setting because of dis ruptive or unmanageable behavior in their home environments. The youth were categorized into mainly prepubertal (under 12.0 years) and puber tal/post pubertal (12.0 years and over) groups. Behavior ratings of th e younger group completed by parents revealed significant inverse corr elations between several behavioral factors and dopamine-beta-hydroxyl ase (DBH) activity levels, notably in the aggressive behavior and anti social domains. Teacher ratings completed after about 1 month of livin g in the residential setting also showed numerous significant, but pos itive, correlations between several behavior factors and DBH activity levels. Furthermore, teacher and parent ratings themselves often were significantly and inversely correlated. The findings related to DBH ac tivity levels were strongest in the younger group of boys. The results are discussed in terms of the possibility that low DBH activity in bo ys reflects a vulnerability towards behavioral disorder, which in cert ain environments becomes manifested by conduct problems and antisocial behavior.