Jm. Halperin et al., AGE-RELATED-CHANGES IN THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SEROTONERGIC FUNCTION AND AGGRESSION IN BOYS WITH ADHD, Biological psychiatry, 41(6), 1997, pp. 682-689
The results of several studies have indicated an inverse relationship
between central serotonergic (5-HT) mechanisms and aggression in anima
ls and adults, but studies in children have yielded conflicting result
s. This study assessed 5-HT function, using a fenfluramine (FEN) chall
enge procedure, in an attempt to replicate a previously reported enhan
cement of the prolactin (PPL) response to FEN in aggressive relative t
o nonaggressive ADHD boys, The study failed to replicate the previous
finding. Samples from both studies were then examined to reconcile the
discrepant findings. The samples differed significantly in age, The e
ntire group (n = 50) was then divided into older and younger subgroups
and reanalyzed using a two-way (age-group x aggression) analysis of c
ovariance (ANCOVA) controlling for plasma medication level, The ANCOVA
generated a significant age-group x aggression interaction. Young agg
ressive boys had a significantly greater PRL response to FEN than youn
g nonaggressive boys, but no such difference existed in the older age-
group, These findings raise the possibility of different developmental
trajectories in 5-HT function between aggressive and nonaggressive bo
ys. (C) 1997 Society of Biological Psychiatry.