Relationship between central serotonergic function and aggression in prepubertal boys: effect of age and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Data indicate that. diminished central serotonergic (5-HT) function is rela ted to aggression in adults, but discrepant findings in children suggest th at age or the presence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) m ay influence this relationship. This study examined whether age or ADHD aff ects the association between 5-HT and aggression in 7-11-year old clinicall y-referred boys. Forty-six boys were divided into non-aggressive ADHD, aggr essive ADHD, and aggressive non-ADHD groups based on responses to interview s and ratings of behavior. Central 5-HT function was assessed by measuring the prolactin response to a 1-mg/kg oral dose of D,L-fenfluramine. There wa s no significant difference in the prolactin response across the three grou ps of boys. Furthermore, when examined dimensionally, prolactin response wa s largely unrelated to ratings of aggression, even after controlling for AD HD. Finally, age was not associated with prolactin response, and had no eff ect on the relationship between prolactin response and aggression. This stu dy provides further evidence that there is no clear relationship between ce ntral 5-HT function and aggression in disruptive boys. Moreover, these data do not confirm the hypothesis that age or the presence of ADHD influence t he relationship between 5-HT and childhood aggression. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sc ience Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.