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The Predictive Value of Monocyte/High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio (MHR) and Positive Symptom Scores for Aggression in Patients with Schizophrenia. Medicina (B Aires) 2023; 59:medicina59030503. [PMID: 36984504 PMCID: PMC10055014 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59030503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Schizophrenia with aggression often has an inflammatory abnormality. The monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR), neutrophil/high-density lipoprotein ratio (NHR), platelet/high-density lipoprotein ratio (PHR) and lymphocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio (LHR) have lately been examined as novel markers for the inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between these new inflammatory biomarkers and aggression in schizophrenia patients. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 214 schizophrenia inpatients in our cross-sectional analysis. They were divided into the aggressive group (n = 94) and the non-aggressive group (n = 120) according to the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS). The severity of schizophrenia was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The numbers of platelets (PLT), neutrophils (NEU), lymphocytes (LYM), monocytes (MON) and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) content from subjects were recorded. The NHR, PHR, MHR and LHR were calculated. We analyzed the differences between those indexes in these two groups, and further searched for the correlation between inflammatory markers and aggression. Results: Patients with aggression had higher positive symptom scores (p = 0.002). The values of PLT, MON, MHR and PHR in the aggressive group were considerably higher (p < 0.05). The NHR (r = 0.289, p < 0.01), LHR (r = 0.213, p < 0.05) and MHR (r = 0.238, p < 0.05) values of aggressive schizophrenia patients were positively correlated with the total weighted scores of the MOAS. A higher MHR (β = 1.529, OR = 4.616, p = 0.026) and positive symptom scores (β = 0.071, OR = 1.047, p = 0.007) were significant predictors of aggression in schizophrenia patients. Conclusions: The MHR and the positive symptom scores may be predictors of aggressive behavior in schizophrenia patients. The MHR, a cheap and simple test, may be useful as a clinical tool for risk stratification, and it may direct doctors’ prevention and treatment plans in the course of ordinary clinical care.
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The neurobiology of human aggressive behavior: Neuroimaging, genetic, and neurochemical aspects. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 106:110059. [PMID: 32822763 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In modern societies, there is a strive to improve the quality of life related to risk of crimes which inevitably requires a better understanding of brain determinants and mediators of aggression. Neurobiology provides powerful tools to achieve this end. Pre-clinical and clinical studies show that changes in regional volumes, metabolism-function and connectivity within specific neural networks are related to aggression. Subregions of prefrontal cortex, insula, amygdala, basal ganglia and hippocampus play a major role within these circuits and have been consistently implicated in biology of aggression. Genetic variations in proteins regulating the synthesis, degradation, and transport of serotonin and dopamine as well as their signal transduction have been found to mediate behavioral variability observed in aggression. Gene-gene and gene-environment interactions represent additional important risk factors for aggressiveness. Considering the social burden of pathological forms of aggression, more basic and translational studies should be conducted to accelerate applications to clinical practice, justice courts, and policy making.
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Postolache TT, Wadhawan A, Rujescu D, Hoisington AJ, Dagdag A, Baca-Garcia E, Lowry CA, Okusaga OO, Brenner LA. Toxoplasma gondii, Suicidal Behavior, and Intermediate Phenotypes for Suicidal Behavior. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:665682. [PMID: 34177652 PMCID: PMC8226025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.665682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the general literature on infections and suicidal behavior, studies on Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) occupy a central position. This is related to the parasite's neurotropism, high prevalence of chronic infection, as well as specific and non-specific behavioral alterations in rodents that lead to increased risk taking, which are recapitulated in humans by T. gondii's associations with suicidal behavior, as well as trait impulsivity and aggression, mental illness and traffic accidents. This paper is a detailed review of the associations between T. gondii serology and suicidal behavior, a field of study that started 15 years ago with our publication of associations between T. gondii IgG serology and suicidal behavior in persons with mood disorders. This "legacy" article presents, chronologically, our primary studies in individuals with mood disorders and schizophrenia in Germany, recent attempters in Sweden, and in a large cohort of mothers in Denmark. Then, it reviews findings from all three meta-analyses published to date, confirming our reported associations and overall consistent in effect size [ranging between 39 and 57% elevation of odds of suicide attempt in T. gondii immunoglobulin (IgG) positives]. Finally, the article introduces certain links between T. gondii and biomarkers previously associated with suicidal behavior (kynurenines, phenylalanine/tyrosine), intermediate phenotypes of suicidal behavior (impulsivity, aggression) and state-dependent suicide risk factors (hopelessness/dysphoria, sleep impairment). In sum, an abundance of evidence supports a positive link between suicide attempts (but not suicidal ideation) and T. gondii IgG (but not IgM) seropositivity and serointensity. Trait impulsivity and aggression, endophenotypes of suicidal behavior have also been positively associated with T. gondii seropositivity in both the psychiatrically healthy as well as in patients with Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Yet, causality has not been demonstrated. Thus, randomized interventional studies are necessary to advance causal inferences and, if causality is confirmed, to provide hope that an etiological treatment for a distinct subgroup of individuals at an increased risk for suicide could emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teodor T Postolache
- Department of Psychiatry, Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, United States.,Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 5, VA Capitol Health Care Network, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Abhishek Wadhawan
- Department of Psychiatry, Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Andrew J Hoisington
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, United States.,Department of Systems Engineering and Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, OH, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Aline Dagdag
- Department of Psychiatry, Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Enrique Baca-Garcia
- Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation Hospital, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Madrid Autonomous University, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital, Móstoles, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, General Hospital of Villalba, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Infanta Elena University Hospital, Valdemoro, Spain.,Universidad Catolica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.,Department of Integrative Physiology, Center for Neuroscience, Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Olaoluwa O Okusaga
- Department of Psychiatry, Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.,Department of Psychiatry & Neurology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
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4
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Monoamine and neuroendocrine gene-sets associate with frustration-based aggression in a gender-specific manner. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 30:75-86. [PMID: 29191428 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Investigating phenotypic heterogeneity in aggression and understanding the molecular biological basis of aggression subtypes may lead to new prevention and treatment options. In the current study, we evaluated the taxonomy of aggression and examined specific genetic mechanisms underlying aggression subtypes in healthy males and females. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to replicate a recently reported three-factor model of the Reactive Proactive Questionnaire (RPQ) in healthy adults (n = 661; median age 24.0 years; 41% male). Gene-set association analysis, aggregating common genetic variants within (a combination of) three molecular pathways previously implicated in aggression, i.e. serotonergic, dopaminergic, and neuroendocrine signaling, was conducted with MAGMA software in males and females separately (total n = 395) for aggression subtypes. We replicate the three-factor CFA model of the RPQ, and found males to score significantly higher on one of these factors compared to females: proactive aggression. The genetic association analysis showed a female-specific association of genetic variation in the combined gene-set with a different factor of the RPQ; reactive aggression due to internal frustration. Both the neuroendocrine and serotonergic gene-sets contributed significantly to this association. Our genetic findings are subtype- and sex-specific, stressing the value of efforts to reduce heterogeneity in research of aggression etiology. Importantly, subtype- and sex-differences in the underlying pathophysiology of aggression suggest that optimal treatment options will have to be tailored to the individual patient. Male and female needs of intervention might differ, stressing the need for sex-specific further research of aggression. Our work highlights opportunities for sample size maximization offered by population-based studies of aggression.
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Manchia M, Comai S, Pinna M, Pinna F, Fanos V, Denovan-Wright E, Carpiniello B. Biomarkers in aggression. Adv Clin Chem 2019; 93:169-237. [PMID: 31655730 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2019.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive behavior exerts an enormous impact on society remaining among the main causes of worldwide premature death. Effective primary interventions, relying on predictive models of aggression that show adequate sensitivity and specificity are currently lacking. One strategy to increase the accuracy and precision of prediction would be to include biological data in the predictive models. Clearly, to be included in such models, biological markers should be reliably associated with the specific trait under study (i.e., diagnostic biomarkers). Aggression, however, is phenotypically highly heterogeneous, an element that has hindered the identification of reliable biomarkers. However, current research is trying to overcome these challenges by focusing on more homogenous aggression subtypes and/or by studying large sample size of aggressive individuals. Further advance is coming by bioinformatics approaches that are allowing the integration of inter-species biological data as well as the development of predictive algorithms able to discriminate subjects on the basis of the propensity toward aggressive behavior. In this review we first present a brief summary of the available evidence on neuroimaging of aggression. We will then treat extensively the data on genetic determinants, including those from hypothesis-free genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and candidate gene studies. Transcriptomic and neurochemical biomarkers will then be reviewed, and we will dedicate a section on the role of metabolomics in aggression. Finally, we will discuss how biomarkers can inform the development of new pharmacological tools as well as increase the efficacy of preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Manchia
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
| | - Stefano Comai
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita Salute University, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Martina Pinna
- Forensic Psychiatry Unit, Sardinia Health Agency, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Vassilios Fanos
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Puericulture Institute and Neonatal Section, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Bernardo Carpiniello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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6
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Peng X, Brenner LA, Mathai AJ, Cook TB, Fuchs D, Postolache N, Groer MW, Pandey JP, Mohyuddin F, Giegling I, Wadhawan A, Hartmann AM, Konte B, Brundin L, Friedl M, Stiller JW, Lowry CA, Rujescu D, Postolache TT. Moderation of the relationship between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and trait impulsivity in younger men by the phenylalanine-tyrosine ratio. Psychiatry Res 2018; 270:992-1000. [PMID: 30057257 PMCID: PMC6371810 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we reported that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-seropositivity is associated with higher impulsive sensation seeking in younger men. As dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling regulate impulsivity, and as T. gondii directly and indirectly affects dopaminergic signaling and induces activation of the kynurenine pathway leading to the diversion of tryptophan from serotonin production, we investigated if dopamine and serotonin precursors or the tryptophan metabolite kynurenine interact with the T. gondii-impulsivity association. In 950 psychiatrically healthy participants, trait impulsivity scores were related to T. gondii IgG seropositivity. Interactions were also identified between categorized levels of phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), Phe:Tyr ratio, kynurenine (Kyn), tryptophan (Trp) and Kyn:Trp ratio, and age and gender. Only younger T. gondii-positive men with a high Phe:Tyr ratio, were found to have significantly higher impulsivity scores. There were no significant associations in other demographic groups, including women and older men. No significant effects or interactions were identified for Phe, Tyr, Kyn, Trp, or Kyn:Trp ratio. Phe:Tyr ratio, therefore, may play a moderating role in the association between T. gondii seropositivity and impulsivity in younger men. These results could potentially lead to individualized approaches to reduce impulsivity, based on combined demographic, biochemical and serological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Peng
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lisa A. Brenner
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Denver, CO, USA,University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Departments of Psychiatry, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology, Denver, CO, USA,Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE). Denver, CO, USA
| | - Ashwin J. Mathai
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Thomas B. Cook
- Department of Public Health & Mercyhurst Institute for Public Health, Mercyhurst University, Erie, PA, USA
| | - Dietmar Fuchs
- Division of Biological Chemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Nadine Postolache
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Janardan P. Pandey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Farooq Mohyuddin
- Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ina Giegling
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Abhishek Wadhawan
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Annette M. Hartmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Bettina Konte
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Lena Brundin
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University and the Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Marion Friedl
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - John W. Stiller
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Denver, CO, USA,Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE). Denver, CO, USA,Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Teodor T. Postolache
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Denver, CO, USA,Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE). Denver, CO, USA,VA Capitol Health Care Network, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (VISN 5 MIRECC), Baltimore, MD, USA,Correspondent author. (T.T. Postolache)
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7
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Wang CH, Ning QF, Liu C, Lv TT, Cong EZ, Gu JY, Zhang YL, Nie HY, Zhang XL, Li Y, Zhang XY, Su LY. Associations of serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphisms and monoamine oxidase A gene polymorphisms with oppositional defiant disorder in a Chinese Han population. Behav Brain Funct 2018; 14:15. [PMID: 30126429 PMCID: PMC6102835 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-018-0147-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a behavioral disorder that mainly refers to a recurrent pattern of disobedient, defiant, negativistic and hostile behaviors toward authority figures. Previous studies have showed associations of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) with behavioral and psychiatric disorders. The purposes of this study were to investigate the potential association of 5-HTT gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and MAOA gene polymorphism with susceptibility to ODD in a Han Chinese school population. METHODS The 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism and the MAOA gene polymorphism were genotyped in a case-control study of 257 Han Chinese children (123 ODD and 134 healthy controls). RESULTS There was significant difference in the allele distribution of 5-HTTLPR (χ2 = 7.849, P = 0.005) between the ODD and control groups. Further, there were significant differences in genotype (χ2 = 5.168, P = 0.023) and allele distributions (χ2 = 10.336, P = 0.001) of the MAOA gene polymorphism that is variable-number tandem repeat (MAOA-uVNTR) between two groups. Moreover, there were significant differences in genotype (χ2 = 4.624, P = 0.032) and allele distributions (χ2 = 9.248, P = 0.002) of MAOA-uVNTR only in the male ODD and healthy groups. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that 5-HTTLPR and MAOA-uVNTR gene variants may contribute to susceptibility to ODD. Further, MAOA-uVNTR gene polymorphism may play a role in susceptibility to ODD only in male children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hong Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China.
| | - Qiu-Fen Ning
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Ting-Ting Lv
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - En-Zhao Cong
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Jing-Yang Gu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Ying-Li Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Hui-Yao Nie
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Xiao-Li Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric Hospital of Henan Province China), Jianshe Road 388, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent, Public Health College, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Road 100, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Houston Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Lin-Yan Su
- Department of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
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Cabral JCC, Tavares PDS, de Almeida RMM. Reciprocal effects between dominance and anger: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:761-771. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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9
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Wang CH, Liu C, Cong EZ, Xu GL, Lv TT, Zhang YL, Ning QF, Wang JK, Nie HY, Li Y. Association of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 polymorphisms with oppositional defiant disorder in a Chinese Han population. Behav Brain Funct 2016; 12:30. [PMID: 27871272 PMCID: PMC5117514 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-016-0113-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a behavioral disorder of school-age population. It is well known that 5-HT dysfunction is correlated with impulsivity, which is one of the common characteristics of ODD. The enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH-2) synthesizes 5-HT in serotonergic neurons of the midbrain raphe. The purposes of this study were to investigate the potential association of TPH-2 polymorphisms with susceptibility to ODD in a Han Chinese school population. Methods Four polymorphisms (rs4570625, rs11178997, rs1386494 and rs7305115) of the TPH-2 gene were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction and DNA microarray hybridization in a case–control study of 276 Han Chinese individuals (124 ODD and 152 controls). Results In single marker analyses,there was a significant difference in the genotype (χ2 = 4.163, P = 0.041) and allele frequency (χ2 = 3.930, P = 0.047) of rs1386494 between ODD and control groups. Haplotype analyses revealed higher frequencies of haplotypes TA (rs4570625-rs11178997), TAG (rs4570625-rs11178997-rs1386494), TAA (rs4570625-rs11178997-rs7305115) and TAGA (rs4570625-rs11178997-rs1386494-rs7305115), but lower frequencies of haplotypes GA (rs4570625-rs11178997) and GAG (rs4570625-rs11178997-rs1386494) in ODD compared to control groups. Conclusions These findings suggest the role of these TPH-2 gene variants in susceptibility to ODD. Some haplotypes might be the risk factors for Chinese Han children with ODD, while others might be preventable factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hong Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - En-Zhao Cong
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Gai-Ling Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Ting-Ting Lv
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Ying-Li Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Qiu-Fen Ning
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Ji-Kang Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Hui-Yao Nie
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Psychiatric hospital of Henan province, China), Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China.
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent, Public Health College, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Road, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.
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10
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Mathai AJ, Lowry CA, Cook TB, Brenner LA, Brundin L, Groer MW, Peng X, Giegling I, Hartmann AM, Konte B, Friedl M, Fuchs D, Rujescu D, Postolache TT. Reciprocal moderation by Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and blood phenylalanine - tyrosine ratio of their associations with trait aggression. Pteridines 2016; 27:77-85. [PMID: 28943719 DOI: 10.1515/pterid-2016-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that trait aggression, proposed as an endophenotype for suicidal behavior, is positively associated with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) seropositivity in females, but not in males. Additionally, older males seropositive for T. gondii had lower scores on measures of trait aggression, including self-aggression. Trait aggression may be influenced by dopaminergic signaling, which is known to be moderated by gender and age, and potentially enhanced in T. gondii positives through the intrinsic production of dopamine by the microorganism. Therefore, we investigated associations between trait aggression and interactions between T. gondii enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA) IgG titer-determined seropositivity and high-performance liquid chromatography- (HPLC-) measured blood levels of dopamine precursors phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), and their ratio in a sample of 1000 psychiatrically healthy participants. Aggressive traits were assessed using the questionnaire for measuring factors of aggression (FAF), the German version of the Buss-Durkee hostility questionnaire. We found that 1) the decrease in trait aggression scores in T. gondii-positive older males was only present in individuals with a low Phe:Tyr ratio, and 2) that there was a positive correlation between Phe:Tyr ratio and total aggression and selected subscales of aggression in T. gondii-positive males, but not in T. gondii-negative males. These findings point toward a gender-specific reciprocal moderation by Phe:Tyr ratio and T. gondii seropositivity of their associations with aggression scores, and lead to experimental interventions geared to manipulating levels of dopamine precursors in selected T. gondii positive individuals with increased propensity for aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin Jacob Mathai
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore Street, MSTF Building, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; and Saint Elizabeths Hospital-DBH Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington DC, USA
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO, USA; and University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Center for Neuroscience, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Thomas B Cook
- Department of Public Health and Mercyhurst Institute for Public Health, Mercyhurst University, Erie, PA, USA
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA; and University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Departments of Psychiatry, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lena Brundin
- Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Xiaoqing Peng
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore Street, MSTF Building, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; and Saint Elizabeths Hospital-DBH Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Washington DC, USA
| | - Ina Giegling
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Annette M Hartmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Bettina Konte
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Marion Friedl
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Dietmar Fuchs
- Division of Biological Chemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Teodor T Postolache
- Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore Street, MSTF Building, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA; and VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, MD, USA
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11
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Hagenbeek FA, Kluft C, Hankemeier T, Bartels M, Draisma HHM, Middeldorp CM, Berger R, Noto A, Lussu M, Pool R, Fanos V, Boomsma DI. Discovery of biochemical biomarkers for aggression: A role for metabolomics in psychiatry. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:719-32. [PMID: 26913573 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Human aggression encompasses a wide range of behaviors and is related to many psychiatric disorders. We introduce the different classification systems of aggression and related disorders as a basis for discussing biochemical biomarkers and then present an overview of studies in humans (published between 1990 and 2015) that reported statistically significant associations of biochemical biomarkers with aggression, DSM-IV disorders involving aggression, and their subtypes. The markers are of different types, including inflammation markers, neurotransmitters, lipoproteins, and hormones from various classes. Most studies focused on only a limited portfolio of biomarkers, frequently a specific class only. When integrating the data, it is clear that compounds from several biological pathways have been found to be associated with aggressive behavior, indicating complexity and the need for a broad approach. In the second part of the paper, using examples from the aggression literature and psychiatric metabolomics studies, we argue that a better understanding of aggression would benefit from a more holistic approach such as provided by metabolomics. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona A Hagenbeek
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Thomas Hankemeier
- Division of Analytical Biosciences, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,The Netherlands Metabolomics Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Meike Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harmen H M Draisma
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Christel M Middeldorp
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, GGZ inGeest/VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud Berger
- Division of Analytical Biosciences, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,The Netherlands Metabolomics Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Noto
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Puericultura Institute and Neonatal Section, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Milena Lussu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - René Pool
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,BBMRINL: Infrastructure for the Application of Metabolomics Technology in Epidemiology, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Vassilios Fanos
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Puericultura Institute and Neonatal Section, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Ducasse D, Jaussent I, Olié E, Guillaume S, Lopez-Castroman J, Courtet P. Personality Traits of Suicidality Are Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in a Suicidal Women Sample. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148653. [PMID: 26863007 PMCID: PMC4749223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Both Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) might increase the risk of suicidal behavior. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between personality dimensions specifically involved in suicidal vulnerability and PMS/PMDD. Method We collected data from 232 women consecutively hospitalized after a suicide attempt. We examined the relationship between impulsivity, aggressiveness/hostility, hopelessness, trait anger, affect intensity, emotional lability, and PMS/PMDD. Notably, we created an algorithm from the shortened Premenstrual Assessment form in order to assess PMDD status. Results The proportions of PMS and PMDD among female suicide attempters were 50% and 23% respectively. Women with PMS or PMDD were more likely to endorse most of these personality traits to than those without even after controlling for potential confounders. We found an impulsive-aggressive pattern of personality in women with PMS or PMDD, independently from the time of the menstrual cycle. Interestingly, trait anger remained associated with both PMS and PMDD independently of every other personality traits. The higher the anger level, the higher the risk was to suffer from both PMS and PMDD. Conclusions This study demonstrates a strong, independent association between PMS/PMDD and trait anger among a representative sample of female suicide attempters. It is of major interest for clinicians in view of addressing a substantial public health problem among women of reproductive age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Déborah Ducasse
- Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Inserm U1061, University of Montpellier UM1, Montpellier, France
- Fondamental Foundation, Créteil, France
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Emilie Olié
- Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Inserm U1061, University of Montpellier UM1, Montpellier, France
- Fondamental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - Sébastien Guillaume
- Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Inserm U1061, University of Montpellier UM1, Montpellier, France
- Fondamental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - Jorge Lopez-Castroman
- Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Inserm U1061, University of Montpellier UM1, Montpellier, France
- Fondamental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - Philippe Courtet
- Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Inserm U1061, University of Montpellier UM1, Montpellier, France
- Fondamental Foundation, Créteil, France
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13
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Coccaro EF, Lee R, Gozal D. Elevated Plasma Oxidative Stress Markers in Individuals With Intermittent Explosive Disorder and Correlation With Aggression in Humans. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:127-35. [PMID: 24582164 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Revised: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal and clinical studies suggest a link between inflammation and oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress is an inherent part of inflammation, and inflammation is associated with behavioral aggression in lower mammals and humans, we hypothesized that markers of oxidative stress would be related to aggression in human subjects. In this case-control study, markers of oxidative stress and aggression were assessed in human subjects with histories of recurrent, problematic, impulsive aggressive behavior and in nonaggressive comparator subjects. METHODS Plasma levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8-isoprostane were examined in the context of measures of aggression and impulsivity in physically healthy subjects with intermittent explosive disorder (n = 69), nonaggressive subjects with Axis I or II disorders (n = 61), and nonaggressive subjects with no history of Axis I or II disorders (n = 67). RESULTS Levels of plasma 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8-isoprostane were significantly higher in subjects with intermittent explosive disorder compared with psychiatric or normal control subjects. In addition, both oxidative stress markers correlated with a composite measure of aggression; more specifically, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine correlated with measures reflecting a history of actual aggressive behavior in all subjects. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest a positive relationship between plasma markers of oxidative stress and aggression in human subjects. This finding adds to the complex picture of the central neuromodulatory role of aggression in human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil F Coccaro
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience.
| | - Royce Lee
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience
| | - David Gozal
- Department of Pediatrics, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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14
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Yildirim BO, Derksen JJL. Mesocorticolimbic dopamine functioning in primary psychopathy: A source of within-group heterogeneity. Psychiatry Res 2015; 229:633-77. [PMID: 26277034 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite similar emotional deficiencies, primary psychopathic individuals can be situated on a continuum that spans from controlled to disinhibited. The constructs on which primary psychopaths are found to diverge, such as self-control, cognitive flexibility, and executive functioning, are crucially regulated by dopamine (DA). As such, the goal of this review is to examine which specific alterations in the meso-cortico-limbic DA system and corresponding genes (e.g., TH, DAT, COMT, DRD2, DRD4) might bias development towards a more controlled or disinhibited expression of primary psychopathy. Based on empirical data, it is argued that primary psychopathy is generally related to a higher tonic and population activity of striatal DA neurons and lower levels of D2-type DA receptors in meso-cortico-limbic projections, which may boost motivational drive towards incentive-laden goals, dampen punishment sensitivity, and increase future reward-expectancy. However, increasingly higher levels of DA activity in the striatum (moderate versus pathological elevations), lower levels of DA functionality in the prefrontal cortex, and higher D1-to-D2-type receptor ratios in meso-cortico-limbic projections may lead to increasingly disinhibited and impetuous phenotypes of primary psychopathy. Finally, in order to provide a more coherent view on etiological mechanisms, we discuss interactions between DA and serotonin that are relevant for primary psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bariş O Yildirim
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, De Kluyskamp 1002, 6545 JD Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan J L Derksen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Room: A.07.04B, Radboud University Nijmegen, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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15
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Schlüter T, Winz O, Henkel K, Eggermann T, Mohammadkhani-Shali S, Dietrich C, Heinzel A, Decker M, Cumming P, Zerres K, Piel M, Mottaghy FM, Vernaleken I. MAOA-VNTR polymorphism modulates context-dependent dopamine release and aggressive behavior in males. Neuroimage 2015; 125:378-385. [PMID: 26481676 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent [(18)F]FDOPA-PET study reports negative correlations between dopamine synthesis rates and aggressive behavior. Since dopamine is among the substrates for monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), this investigation examines whether functional allelic variants of the MAOA tandem repeat (VNTR) promotor polymorphism, which is known to modulate aggressive behavior, influences dopamine release and aggression in response to violent visual stimuli. We selected from a genetic prescreening sample, strictly case-matched groups of 2×12 healthy male subjects with VNTRs predictive of high (MAOA-High) and low (MAOA-Low) MAOA expression. Subjects underwent pairs of PET sessions (dopamine D2/3 ligand [(18)F]DMFP) while viewing a movie of neutral content, versus violent content. Directly afterwards, aggressive behavior was assessed by the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP). Finally, PET data of 23 participants and behavioral data of 22 participants were analyzed due to post hoc exclusion criteria. In the genetic prescreening sample MAOA-Low carriers had significantly increased scores on the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. In the PET-study-group, aggressive behavior under the emotional neutral condition was significantly higher in the MAOA-Low group. Interestingly, the two MAOA-groups showed inverse dopaminergic and behavioral reactions to the violent movie: The MAOA-High group showed higher dopamine release and increased aggression after the violent movie; MAOA-Low subjects showed decreases in aggressive behavior and no consistent dopamine release. These results indicate a possible impact of the MAOA-promotor polymorphism on the neurobiological modulation of aggressive behavior. However, the data do not support approaches stating that MAOA-Low fosters aggression by a simple pro-dopaminergic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorben Schlüter
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Oliver Winz
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Karsten Henkel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Eggermann
- Institute of Human Genetics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Dietrich
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Alexander Heinzel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Jülich/Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Jülich/Aachen, Germany
| | - Michel Decker
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Paul Cumming
- Department of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Klaus Zerres
- Institute of Human Genetics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Markus Piel
- Institute of Nuclear Chemistry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Felix M Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Jülich/Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Jülich/Aachen, Germany; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ingo Vernaleken
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Jülich/Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Jülich/Aachen, Germany
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16
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Abstract
Aggression and violence represent a significant public health concern and a clinical challenge for the mental healthcare provider. A great deal has been revealed regarding the neurobiology of violence and aggression, and an integration of this body of knowledge will ultimately serve to advance clinical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions. We will review here the latest findings regarding the neurobiology of aggression and violence. First, we will introduce the construct of aggression, with a focus on issues related to its heterogeneity, as well as the importance of refining the aggression phenotype in order to reduce pathophysiologic variability. Next we will examine the neuroanatomy of aggression and violence, focusing on regional volumes, functional studies, and interregional connectivity. Significant emphasis will be on the amygdala, as well as amygdala-frontal circuitry. Then we will turn our attention to the neurochemistry and molecular genetics of aggression and violence, examining the extensive findings on the serotonergic system, as well as the growing literature on the dopaminergic and vasopressinergic systems. We will also address the contribution of steroid hormones, namely, cortisol and testosterone. Finally, we will summarize these findings with a focus on reconciling inconsistencies and potential clinical implications; and, then we will suggest areas of focus for future directions in the field.
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17
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Abstract
Aggression is a behavior with evolutionary origins, but is often both destructive and maladaptive in today's society. Research over the past several decades has confirmed the involvement of neurotransmitter function in aggressive behavior. This research has centered around the "serotonin hypothesis." As this literature continues to grow, guided by pre-clinical research and aided by the application of increasingly sophisticated neuroimaging methodology, a more complex picture has emerged. As current pharmacological and therapeutic interventions are effective but imperfect, it is hoped that new insights into the neurobiology of aggression will reveal novel avenues for treatment of this destructive and costly behavior.
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18
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Coccaro EF, Lee R, Coussons-Read M. Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory cytokines and aggression in personality disordered subjects. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyv001. [PMID: 25650410 PMCID: PMC4540103 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurochemical studies have pointed to a modulatory role in human aggression for a variety of central neurotransmitters and neuromodulators such as cytokines. While animal studies of cytokines suggest an aggression-facilitating role for central cytokines, especially for interleukin-1β and other cytokines, no cerebrospinal fluid studies of cytokines have yet been reported in regard to human aggression. METHODS Basal lumbar cerebrospinal fluid samples were obtained from 38 physically healthy subjects with DSM-5 Personality Disorder and assayed for cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 (log IL-6) and cerebrospinal fluid soluble IL-1 Receptor II protein in the context of their relationship with measures of aggression. RESULTS Cerebrospinal fluid soluble interleukin-1 Receptor II (r=.35, r(2) = .12, P= .03), but not log interleukin-6 (r = -.05, r(2) = .00, P= .76), levels were positively correlated with a composite measure of aggression. Adding relevant covariates, including cerebrospinal fluid levels of serotonin and dopamine metabolites, to the statistical model doubled the strength of this relationship (partial r = .54, r(2) = .29, P= .002). No relationship was seen with history of suicidal behavior or with any measure of impulsivity, negative affectivity, or of general dimensions of personality. CONCLUSION These data suggest a positive relationship between at least one inflammatory cytokine in the central nervous system and aggression in human subjects. This finding adds to the complex picture of the central neurochemistry of impulsive aggression in human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil F Coccaro
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (Drs Coccaro and Lee); Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO (Dr Coussons-Read).
| | - Royce Lee
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (Drs Coccaro and Lee); Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO (Dr Coussons-Read)
| | - Mary Coussons-Read
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (Drs Coccaro and Lee); Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO (Dr Coussons-Read)
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19
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Banlaki Z, Elek Z, Nanasi T, Szekely A, Nemoda Z, Sasvari-Szekely M, Ronai Z. Polymorphism in the serotonin receptor 2a (HTR2A) gene as possible predisposal factor for aggressive traits. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117792. [PMID: 25658328 PMCID: PMC4319849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/31/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggressive manifestations and their consequences are a major issue of mankind, highlighting the need for understanding the contributory factors. Still, aggression-related genetic analyses have so far mainly been conducted on small population subsets such as individuals suffering from a certain psychiatric disorder or a narrow-range age cohort, but no data on the general population is yet available. In the present study, our aim was to identify polymorphisms in genes affecting neurobiological processes that might explain some of the inter-individual variation between aggression levels in the non-clinical Caucasian adult population. 55 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were simultaneously determined in 887 subjects who also filled out the self-report Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Single marker association analyses between genotypes and aggression scores indicated a significant role of rs7322347 located in the HTR2A gene encoding serotonin receptor 2a following Bonferroni correction for multiple testing (p = 0.0007) both for males and females. Taking the four BPAQ subscales individually, scores for Hostility, Anger and Physical Aggression showed significant association with rs7322347 T allele in themselves, while no association was found with Verbal Aggression. Of the subscales, relationship with rs7322347 was strongest in the case of Hostility, where statistical significance virtually equaled that observed with the whole BPAQ. In conclusion, this is the first study to our knowledge analyzing SNPs in a wide variety of genes in terms of aggression in a large sample-size non-clinical adult population, also describing a novel candidate polymorphism as predisposal to aggressive traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsofia Banlaki
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Elek
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tibor Nanasi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Szekely
- Institute of Psychology, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsofia Nemoda
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maria Sasvari-Szekely
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Ronai
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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20
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Jones LJ, Norton WH. Using zebrafish to uncover the genetic and neural basis of aggression, a frequent comorbid symptom of psychiatric disorders. Behav Brain Res 2015; 276:171-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.05.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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21
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Serotonin transporter availability in impulsive aggressive personality disordered patients: a PET study with [11C]DASB. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 58:147-54. [PMID: 25145808 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2013] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) has consistently been implicated in the pathophysiology of impulsive aggression. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) binding is reduced in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in impulsive aggressive patients. Additionally, we characterized pathological personality dimensions, with a specific focus on callousness (i.e. emotional indifference, a facet of psychopathy). Callousness is putatively positively correlated with presynaptic 5-HT, and thus could potentially confound the hypothesized negative relation between 5-HTT levels and trait aggression. We determined 5-HTT binding with positron emission tomography and [(11)C]DASB in 29 patients with intermittent explosive disorder (IED-IR) and 30 controls. We assessed group differences in 5-HTT binding in the pregenual ACC, amygdala and subcortical regions and examined correlations between 5-HTT binding and clinical measures. There were no significant differences in 5-HTT binding between IED-IR patients and controls. Trait callousness exhibited a significant, positive correlation with ACC 5-HTT availability. Among IED-IR patients, a trend-level negative partial correlation was observed between trait aggression and ACC 5-HTT availability, while covarying for callousness and age. Exploratory analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between state aggression levels and 5-HTT availability in subcortical regions, namely striatum and thalamus. We did not confirm our hypothesis of lower ACC 5-HTT availability in impulsive aggressive patients, however, the positive correlation between callousness and ACC 5-HTT availability likely played a confounding role. Subtypes of aggression (e.g., reactive vs. proactive aggression), which are differentially associated with pathological personality dimensions such as callousness, may contribute to variability between 5-HT functioning and aggression.
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Coccaro EF, Lee R, Coussons-Read M. Cerebrospinal fluid and plasma C-reactive protein and aggression in personality-disordered subjects: a pilot study. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2014; 122:321-6. [PMID: 25056708 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-014-1263-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
C-reactive protein (CRP), in the plasma, serves as a marker of systemic inflammation and has been shown to correlate with history of actual aggressive behavior, and as a personality trait of aggressive tendency, in human subjects. This pilot study was conducted to determine if plasma CRP levels are correlated with cerebrospinal fluid levels (CSF CRP) and if CSF CRP also correlates with aggression. If so, this would suggest a role for central inflammatory processes in human aggression. Both plasma and basal lumbar CSF samples were obtained from 17 subjects with DSM-5 personality disorder and assayed for CRP. Plasma and CSF CRP levels were correlated (r = 0.65, p = 0.005) and each correlated with aggression (Plasma: r = 0.53, p = 0.029; CSF: r = 0.84, p < 0.001). When considered simultaneously, CSF CRP, but not plasma CRP, uniquely correlated with aggression. No relationship was seen with other measures of psychopathology. These data suggest a positive relationship between central nervous system CRP and aggression in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil F Coccaro
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA,
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Cerebrospinal fluid glutamate concentration correlates with impulsive aggression in human subjects. J Psychiatr Res 2013; 47:1247-53. [PMID: 23791397 PMCID: PMC3980459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurochemical studies have pointed to a modulatory role in human aggression for various central neurotransmitters. Some (e.g., serotonin) appear to play an inhibitory role, while others appear to play a facilitator role. While recent animal studies of glutaminergic activity suggest a facilitator role for central glutamate in the modulation of aggression, no human studies of central glutaminergic indices have yet been reported regarding aggression. Basal lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained from 38 physically healthy subjects with DSM-IV Personality Disorder (PD: n = 28) and from Healthy Volunteers (HV: n = 10) and assayed for glutamate, and other neurotransmitters, in CSF and correlated with measures of aggression and impulsivity. CSF Glutamate levels did not differ between the PD and HC subjects but did directly correlate with composite measures of both aggression and impulsivity and a composite measure of impulsive aggression in both groups. These data suggest a positive relationship between CSF Glutamate levels and measures of impulsive aggression in human subjects. Thus, glutamate function may contribute to the complex central neuromodulation of impulsive aggression in human subjects.
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Duke AA, Bègue L, Bell R, Eisenlohr-Moul T. Revisiting the serotonin-aggression relation in humans: a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull 2013; 139:1148-72. [PMID: 23379963 PMCID: PMC3718863 DOI: 10.1037/a0031544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The inverse relation between serotonin and human aggression is often portrayed as "reliable," "strong," and "well established" despite decades of conflicting reports and widely recognized methodological limitations. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluate the evidence for and against the serotonin deficiency hypothesis of human aggression across 4 methods of assessing serotonin: (a) cerebrospinal fluid levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (CSF 5-HIAA), (b) acute tryptophan depletion, (c) pharmacological challenge, and (d) endocrine challenge. Results across 175 independent samples and over 6,500 total participants were heterogeneous, but, in aggregate, revealed a small, inverse correlation between serotonin functioning and aggression, anger, and hostility (r = -.12). Pharmacological challenge studies had the largest mean weighted effect size (r = -.21), and CSF 5-HIAA studies had the smallest (r = -.06). Potential methodological and demographic moderators largely failed to account for variability in study outcomes. Notable exceptions included year of publication (effect sizes tended to diminish with time) and self- versus other-reported aggression (other-reported aggression was positively correlated to serotonin functioning). We discuss 4 possible explanations for the pattern of findings: unreliable measures, ambient correlational noise, an unidentified higher order interaction, and a selective serotonergic effect. Finally, we provide 4 recommendations for bringing much needed clarity to this important area of research: acknowledge contradictory findings and avoid selective reporting practices; focus on improving the reliability and validity of serotonin and aggression measures; test for interactions involving personality and/or environmental moderators; and revise the serotonin deficiency hypothesis to account for serotonin's functional complexity.
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Cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid correlates directly with negative affective intensity, but not affective lability, in human subjects. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2013; 16:261-9. [PMID: 22475556 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145712000211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Centrally acting monoamines have long been thought to be associated with component traits of behavior and emotion and are potential biological mediators of psychopathology. In this study we tested the hypothesis that centrally acting monoamines would be associated with measures of affective instability (i.e. affective intensity and affective lability) in healthy and personality disordered human subjects. In total, 57 adult subjects including 19 psychiatrically healthy volunteers and 38 personality disordered individuals were assessed for affective instability with the affective intensity measure (AIM) and the Affective Lability Scale (ALS). Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected for assay of 5-hydroxyindoleacitic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (MHPG). CSF 5-HIAA concentration correlated directly with overall AIM score and, specifically, with the AIM Negative Intensity score, in all subjects and in personality disordered subjects. This result was not affected but the addition of aggression scores or life history of mood disorder to the model. Neither CSF HVA nor MHPG were found to uniquely correlate with either AIM or ALS measure. Higher Affective Intensity scores, Negative Intensity scores, specifically, are directly correlated with higher basal levels of CSF 5-HIAA. This relationship was independent of aggression, life history of mood disorder and general personality traits.
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Åslund C, Comasco E, Nordquist N, Leppert J, Oreland L, Nilsson KW. Self-reported family socioeconomic status, the 5-HTTLPR genotype, and delinquent behavior in a community-based adolescent population. Aggress Behav 2013; 39:52-63. [PMID: 22987641 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Accepted: 06/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Twin and adoption studies have demonstrated a significant contribution of both genetic and environmental factors to antisocial and delinquent behavior. Associations have been reported between the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and aggression, and between socioeconomic status (SES), aggression, and serotonergic functions of the brain. We aimed to investigate associations between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and family SES in relation to delinquent behavior among adolescents. A total of 1,467 17- to 18-year-old students in the county of Västmanland, Sweden, anonymously completed a questionnaire and gave a saliva sample. Family SES had a U-shaped relation to delinquency, where adolescents with low and high family SES were the most delinquent. There were curvilinear interactions between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and family SES in relation to delinquency. Among individuals having high family SES, boys with the LL (homozygous for the long allele) or LS (heterozygous) genotypes and girls with the SS (homozygous for the short allele) or LS (heterozygous) genotypes showed the highest delinquency scores. Among individuals having low family SES, boys with the LL (homozygous for the long allele) genotype and girls with the LS (heterozygous) genotype showed the highest delinquency scores. The present study suggests evidence for an interaction between family SES and the 5-HTTLPR genotype in relation to juvenile delinquency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Åslund
- Centre for Clinical Research; Uppsala University; Central Hospital; Västerås; Sweden
| | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience; Unit of Pharmacology; Uppsala University; Uppsala; Sweden
| | - Niklas Nordquist
- Department of Neuroscience; Unit of Pharmacology; Uppsala University; Uppsala; Sweden
| | - Jerzy Leppert
- Centre for Clinical Research; Uppsala University; Central Hospital; Västerås; Sweden
| | - Lars Oreland
- Department of Neuroscience; Unit of Pharmacology; Uppsala University; Uppsala; Sweden
| | - Kent W. Nilsson
- Centre for Clinical Research; Uppsala University; Central Hospital; Västerås; Sweden
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Coccaro EF, Lee R, Liu T, Mathé AA. Cerebrospinal fluid neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity correlates with impulsive aggression in human subjects. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:997-1003. [PMID: 22985695 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Revised: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurochemical studies have pointed to a modulatory role in human aggression for a number of central neurotransmitters; some (e.g., serotonin) appear to play an inhibitory role, while others (e.g., vasopressin) appear to play a facilitator role in the modulation of aggression. While recent animal studies of neuropeptide Y (NPY) have suggested a facilitator role for central NPY in the modulation of aggression, no human studies of central NPY have yet been reported regarding aggression. METHODS Basal lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained from 60 physically healthy subjects with personality disorder (PD) (n=40) and from healthy volunteers (n=20). These samples were then assessed for CSF NPY-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) and other neurotransmitter-related species in CSF and correlated with measures of aggression and impulsivity. RESULTS Cerebrospinal fluid NPY-LI was higher in PD subjects compared with healthy volunteers and in subjects with intermittent explosive disorder compared with those without intermittent explosive disorder. In PD subjects, CSF NPY-LI was directly correlated with composite measures of aggression and impulsivity and a composite measure of impulsive aggression. Group differences in CSF NPY-LI concentration were accounted for by measures of impulsive aggression. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest a direct relationship between CSF NPY-immunoreactivity concentration and measures of impulsive aggression in human subjects. This adds to the complex picture of the central neuromodulatory role of impulsive aggression in human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil F Coccaro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Coccaro EF. What is the nature of serotonergic abnormalities in human aggression? Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:980-1. [PMID: 23153521 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emil F Coccaro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Nader MA, Nader SH, Czoty PW, Riddick NV, Gage HD, Gould RW, Blaylock BL, Kaplan JR, Garg PK, Davies HML, Morton D, Garg S, Reboussin BA. Social dominance in female monkeys: dopamine receptor function and cocaine reinforcement. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:414-21. [PMID: 22503110 PMCID: PMC3399959 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2011] [Revised: 02/06/2012] [Accepted: 03/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain imaging and behavioral studies suggest an inverse relationship between dopamine (DA) D2/D3 receptors and vulnerability to cocaine abuse, although most research has used males. For example, male monkeys that become dominant in a social group have significant elevations in D2/D3 receptor availability and are less vulnerable to cocaine reinforcement. METHODS DA D2/D3 receptor availability was assessed in female cynomolgus monkeys (n = 16) with positron emission tomography (PET) while they were individually housed, 3 months after stable social hierarchies had formed, and again when individually housed. In addition, PET was used to examine changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) availability after social hierarchy formation. After imaging studies were complete, monkeys received implantation with indwelling intravenous catheters and self-administered cocaine (.001-.1 mg/kg/injection) under a fixed-ratio 30 schedule of reinforcement. Acquisition of cocaine reinforcement occurred when response rates were significantly higher than when saline was self-administered. RESULTS Neither DAT nor D2/D3 receptor availability in the caudate nucleus and putamen was predictive of social rank, but both significantly changed after formation of social hierarchies. DA D2/D3 receptor availability significantly increased in females that became dominant, whereas DAT availability decreased in subordinate females. Dominant female monkeys acquired cocaine reinforcement at significantly lower doses than subordinate monkeys. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between D2/D3 receptor availability and vulnerability to cocaine reinforcement seems, on the basis of these findings, opposite in females and males. These data indicate that the social environment profoundly affects the DA system but does so in ways that have different functional consequences for females than for males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
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Coccaro EF, Lee R, Owens MJ, Kinkead B, Nemeroff CB. Cerebrospinal fluid substance P-like immunoreactivity correlates with aggression in personality disordered subjects. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:238-43. [PMID: 22449753 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2012] [Revised: 02/21/2012] [Accepted: 02/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurochemical studies have pointed to a modulatory role in human aggression for a variety of central neurotransmitters; some seem to play an inhibitory role, whereas others seem to play a facilitory role in the modulation of aggression. Laboratory animal studies of substance P suggest a facilitory role for this undecapeptide in the modulation of aggression, but no studies of substance P have yet been reported with regard to human aggression. METHODS Basal lumbar cerebrospinal fluid samples were obtained from 38 physically healthy subjects with personality disorder (PD) and substance P-like immunoreactivity was measured and correlated with measures of aggression and impulsivity. RESULTS The cerebrospinal fluid substance P-like immunoreactivity levels were directly correlated with a composite measure of aggression and, more specifically, with Buss-Durkee Aggression. No correlation was seen with any measure of impulsivity or of general dimensions of personality. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest a direct relationship between central nervous system substance P containing neural circuits and aggression in human subjects. This finding adds to the complex picture of the central neuromodulatory role of impulsive aggression in human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil F Coccaro
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
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Modulation of central serotonin affects emotional information processing in impulsive aggressive personality disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2012; 32:329-35. [PMID: 22544009 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e31825368b7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanistic model whereby serotonin affects impulsive aggression is not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that depletion of serotonin reserves by tryptophan depletion affects emotional information processing in susceptible individuals. METHODS The effect of tryptophan (vs placebo) depletion on processing of Ekman emotional faces was compared in impulsive aggressive personality disordered, male and female adults with normal controls. All subjects were free of psychotropic medications, medically healthy, nondepressed, and substance free. Additionally, subjective mood state and vital signs were monitored. RESULTS For emotion recognition, a significant interaction of Aggression × Drug × Sex (F(1, 31) = 7.687, P = 0.009) was found, with male normal controls but not impulsive aggressive males showing increased recognition of fear. For intensity ratings of emotional faces, a significant interaction was discovered of Drug × Group × Sex (F(1, 31) = 5.924, P = 0.021), with follow-up tests revealing that males with intermittent explosive disorder tended to increase intensity ratings of angry faces after tryptophan depletion. Additionally, tryptophan depletion was associated with increased heart rate in all subjects, and increased intensity of the subjective emotional state of "anger" in impulsive aggressive subjects. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with clinically relevant levels of impulsive aggression may be susceptible to effects of serotonergic depletion on emotional information processing, showing a tendency to exaggerate their impression of the intensity of angry expressions and to report an angry mood state after tryptophan depletion. This may reflect heightened sensitivity to the effects of serotonergic dysregulation, and suggests that what underlies impulsive aggression is either supersensitivity to serotonergic disturbances or susceptibility to fluctuations in central serotonergic availability.
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Raine A, Laufer WS, Yang Y, Narr KL, Thompson P, Toga AW. Increased executive functioning, attention, and cortical thickness in white-collar criminals. Hum Brain Mapp 2011; 33:2932-40. [PMID: 22002326 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2011] [Revised: 06/11/2011] [Accepted: 06/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Very little is known on white-collar crime and how it differs to other forms of offending. This study tests the hypothesis that white-collar criminals have better executive functioning, enhanced information processing, and structural brain superiorities compared with offender controls. Using a case-control design, executive functioning, orienting, and cortical thickness was assessed in 21 white-collar criminals matched with 21 controls on age, gender, ethnicity, and general level of criminal offending. White-collar criminals had significantly better executive functioning, increased electrodermal orienting, increased arousal, and increased cortical gray matter thickness in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, somatosensory cortex, and the temporal-parietal junction compared with controls. Results, while initial, constitute the first findings on neurobiological characteristics of white-collar criminals. It is hypothesized that white-collar criminals have information-processing and brain superiorities that give them an advantage in perpetrating criminal offenses in occupational settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Raine
- Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Moberg T, Nordström P, Forslund K, Kristiansson M, Asberg M, Jokinen J. CSF 5-HIAA and exposure to and expression of interpersonal violence in suicide attempters. J Affect Disord 2011; 132:173-8. [PMID: 21356560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2010] [Revised: 01/30/2011] [Accepted: 01/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serotonin is implicated in impaired impulse control, aggression and suicidal behaviour. Low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) have been found in violent suicide attempters, suicide victims and in violent offenders. CSF 5-HIAA concentrations have both genetic and environmental determinants. Childhood trauma may have an effect on central monoamine function as an adult. AIM The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of CSF 5-HIAA and the exposure to and the expression of violence in childhood and during adult life measured with the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale (KIVS). METHOD 42 medication free suicide attempters underwent lumbar puncture and were assessed with the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale (KIVS) to assess history of childhood exposure to violence and lifetime expressed violent behaviour. RESULTS In women, but not in men, CSF 5-HIAA showed a significant negative correlation to exposure to violence during childhood. Furthermore, suicide attempters with low CSF 5-HIAA were more prone to commit violent acts as an adult if exposed to violence as a child compared to suicide attempters with high CSF 5-HIAA. In the non-traumatized group, CSF 5-HIAA showed a significant negative correlation to expressed violent behaviour in childhood. CONCLUSIONS Although central serotonergic function has important genetic determinants, exposure to childhood trauma may also affect serotonergic function. Low serotonergic function may facilitate impaired aggression control in traumatized suicide attempters.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Moberg
- The Department of Clinical Neuroscience/Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract
Brain serotonergic circuitries interact with other neurotransmitter systems on a multitude of different molecular levels. In humans, as in other mammalian species, serotonin (5-HT) plays a modulatory role in almost every physiological function. Furthermore, serotonergic dysfunction is thought to be implicated in several psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. We describe the neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of brain serotonergic circuitries. The contribution of emergent in vivo imaging methods to the regional localization of binding site receptors and certain aspects of their functional connectivity in correlation to behavior is also discussed. 5-HT cell bodies, mainly localized in the raphe nuclei, send axons to almost every brain region. It is argued that the specificity of the local chemocommunication between 5-HT and other neuronal elements mainly depends on mechanisms regulating the extracellular concentration of 5-HT the diversity of high-affinity membrane receptors, and their specific transduction modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Charnay
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Département de Psychiatrie, Service de Neuropsychiatrie, Ch. Du Petit-Bel-Air, 2, CH-1225 Chêne-Bourg, Switzerland.
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Guo K, Bamforth F, Li L. Qualitative metabolome analysis of human cerebrospinal fluid by 13C-/12C-isotope dansylation labeling combined with liquid chromatography Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2011; 22:339-347. [PMID: 21472593 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-010-0033-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2010] [Revised: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 11/09/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Metabolome analysis of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is challenging because of low abundance of metabolites present in a small volume of sample. We describe and apply a sensitive isotope labeling LC-MS technique for qualitative analysis of the CSF metabolome. After a CSF sample is divided into two aliquots, they are labeled by (13)C-dansyl and (12)C-dansyl chloride, respectively. The differentially labeled aliquots are then mixed and subjected to LC-MS using Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS). Dansylation offers significant improvement in the performance of chromatography separation and detection sensitivity. Moreover, peaks detected in the mass spectra can be readily analyzed for ion pair recognition and database search based on accurate mass and/or retention time information. It is shown that about 14,000 features can be detected in a 25-min LC-FTICR MS run of a dansyl-labeled CSF sample, from which about 500 metabolites can be profiled. Results from four CSF samples are compared to gauge the detectability of metabolites by this method. About 261 metabolites are commonly detected in replicate runs of four samples. In total, 1132 unique metabolite ion pairs are detected and 347 pairs (31%) matched with at least one metabolite in the Human Metabolome Database. We also report a dansylation library of 220 standard compounds and, using this library, about 85 metabolites can be positively identified. Among them, 21 metabolites have never been reported to be associated with CSF. These results illustrate that the dansylation LC-FTICR MS method can be used to analyze the CSF metabolome in a more comprehensive manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G2, Canada
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Abstract
Various data from scientific research studies conducted over the past three decades suggest that central neurotransmitters play a key role in the modulation of aggression in all mammalian species, including humans. Specific neurotransmitter systems involved in mammalian aggression include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA, and neuropeptides such as vasopressin and oxytocin. Neurotransmitters not only help to execute basic behavioral components but also serve to modulate these preexisting behavioral states by amplifying or reducing their effects. This chapter reviews the currently available data to present a contemporary view of how central neurotransmitters influence the vulnerability for aggressive behavior and/or initiation of aggressive behavior in social situations. Data reviewed in this chapter include emoiric information from neurochemical, pharmaco-challenge, molecular genetic and neuroimaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Yanowitch
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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