ADRENAL ANDROGENS AND AGGRESSION IN CONDUCT DISORDER PREPUBERTAL BOYSAND NORMAL CONTROLS

Background: The evidence for a role of androgens in human aggression i s less convincing than in animals, We examined the relationship betwee n androgens and aggression in prepubertal boys who were diagnosed as s uffering from severe aggression and antisocial behavior. Methods: Plas ma levels of testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), and dehydroepiandr osterone sulphate (DHEAS) were measured in 15 boys with a conduct diso rder (CD) and 25 normal control (NC) boys. Parents and teachers of the children rated the intensity of aggression and delinquency over the l ast 6 months. Results: CD boys had significantly higher levels of DHEA S and marginally significantly higher levels of A; there were no diffe rences in T. Moreover, DHEAS levels were significantly positively corr elated with the intensity of aggression and delinquency as rated by bo th parents and teachers. Conclusions: The results suggest that adrenal androgen functioning plays an important role in the onset and mainten ance, of aggression in young boys. (C) 1998 Society of Biological Psyc hiatry.