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Casula A, Milazzo BM, Martino G, Sergi A, Lucifora C, Tomaiuolo F, Quartarone A, Nitsche MA, Vicario CM. Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for the Modulation of Aggressive Behavior-A Systematic Review of Randomized Sham-Controlled Studies. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051220. [PMID: 37240865 DOI: 10.3390/life13051220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRO Aggressive behavior represents a significant public health issue, with relevant social, political, and security implications. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques may modulate aggressive behavior through stimulation of the prefrontal cortex. AIMS To review research on the effectiveness of NIBS to alter aggression, discuss the main findings and potential limitations, consider the specifics of the techniques and protocols employed, and discuss clinical implications. METHODS A systematic review of the literature available in the PubMed database was carried out, and 17 randomized sham-controlled studies investigating the effectiveness of NIBS techniques on aggression were included. Exclusion criteria included reviews, meta-analyses, and articles not referring to the subject of interest or not addressing cognitive and emotional modulation aims. CONCLUSIONS The reviewed data provide promising evidence for the beneficial effects of tDCS, conventional rTMS, and cTBS on aggression in healthy adults, forensic, and clinical samples. The specific stimulation target is a key factor for the success of stimulation on aggression modulation. rTMS and cTBS showed opposite effects on aggression compared with tDCS. However, due to the heterogeneity of stimulation protocols, experimental designs, and samples, we cannot exclude other factors that may play a confounding role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony Casula
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Bianca M Milazzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Gabriella Martino
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Clinica Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Messina, A.O.U. "G. Martino", Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sergi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Chiara Lucifora
- Dipartimento di Filosofia e Comunicazione, Università di Bologna, 40131 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Tomaiuolo
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Clinica Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Messina, A.O.U. "G. Martino", Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | | | - Michael A Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
- University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and University Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Protestant Hospital of Bethel Foundation, University Hospital OWL, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Carmelo M Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
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Analysis of personality traits' correlation to facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) and mandibular line angle based on 16 personality factor in Chinese college students. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278201. [PMID: 36477722 PMCID: PMC9728930 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial appearance reveals clues about personality. Studies have found that facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) correlates with some personality traits, and mandibular morphology as a potential facial feature that might have correlation with personality traits. Therefore, a face recognition study was carried out to explore the personality traits' correlation to both fWHR and bilateral mandibular line angles. Specifically, face images of 904 college students in China were collected and measured, with the personality traits evaluated using the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire. Analyses revealed that the average bilateral mandibular line angle of the male were significantly more extensive than that of the female, while the fWHR of the female was significantly more extensive than that of the male. We found facial features (fWHR and average bilateral mandibular line angle) were correlated with 16PF in the canonical correlation analysis and the loadings of bilateral mandibular line angles were greater than that of fWHR. The fWHR was significantly negatively correlated with the scores of sensitivity and self-reliance in male but none of the factors related to fWHR in female. The bilateral mandibular line angles were significantly negatively correlated with the scores of social boldness in male, and were significantly negatively correlated with the scores of vigilance and apprehension in female. Over all, the correlations between fWHR, average bilateral mandibular line angle and certain 16PF factors in male and female tend to be different, suggesting that such correlations might vary with gender. In the future, mandibular morphology could be selected as a potential indicator in facial perception. The limitations of this study were the participants were limited to 18-30 years of age and the mandibular morphology was not measured with anthropometry, which could be further improved in future studies.
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Rodriguez-Morales R, Gonzalez-Lerma P, Yuiska A, Han JH, Guerra Y, Crisostomo L, Keene AC, Duboue ER, Kowalko JE. Convergence on reduced aggression through shared behavioral traits in multiple populations of Astyanax mexicanus. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:116. [PMID: 36241984 PMCID: PMC9563175 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Results Conclusion Supplementary information
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rodriguez-Morales
- grid.259029.50000 0004 1936 746XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, 18015 Bethlehem, PA USA
| | - Paola Gonzalez-Lerma
- grid.255951.fDepartment of Integrative Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 33431 Boca Raton, FL USA
| | - Anders Yuiska
- grid.255951.fCharles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 33431 Boca Raton, FL USA
| | - Ji Heon Han
- grid.255951.fCharles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 33431 Boca Raton, FL USA ,grid.255951.fProgram in Integrative Biology and Neuroscience, Florida Atlantic University, 33458 Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Yolanda Guerra
- grid.255951.fHarriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 33458 Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Lina Crisostomo
- grid.255951.fHarriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 33458 Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Alex C. Keene
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Biology, Texas A&M, College Station, TX USA
| | - Erik R. Duboue
- grid.255951.fCharles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 33431 Boca Raton, FL USA ,grid.255951.fHarriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 33458 Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Johanna E. Kowalko
- grid.259029.50000 0004 1936 746XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, 18015 Bethlehem, PA USA
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Chafkin JE, O’Brien JM, Medrano FN, Lee HY, Josephs RA, Yeager DS. A dual-system, machine-learning approach reveals how daily pubertal hormones relate to psychological well-being in everyday life. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 58:101158. [PMID: 36368088 PMCID: PMC9650000 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The two studies presented in this paper seek to resolve mixed findings in research linking activity of pubertal hormones to daily adolescent outcomes. In study 1 we used a series of Confirmatory Factor Analyses to compare the fit of one and two-factor models of seven steroid hormones (n = 994 participants, 8084 samples) of the HPA and HPG axes, using data from a field study (https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/studies/38180) collected over ten consecutive weekdays in a representative sample of teens starting high school. In study 2, we fit a Bayesian model to our large dataset to explore how hormone activity was related to outcomes that have been demonstrated to be linked to mental health and wellbeing (self-reports of daily affect and stress coping). Results reveal, first that a two-factor solution of adolescent hormones showed good fit to our data, and second, that HPG activity, rather than the more often examined HPA activity, was associated with improved daily affect ratios and stress coping. These findings suggest that field research, when it is combined with powerful statistical techniques, may help to improve our understanding of the relationship between adolescent hormones and daily measures of well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E. Chafkin
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Correspondence to: 1202 North Duke Street, Durham, NC 27701, USA.
| | - Joseph M. O’Brien
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Robert A. Josephs
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - David S. Yeager
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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5
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Brislin SJ, Weigard AS, Hardee JE, Cope LM, Martz ME, Zucker RA, Heitzeg MM. Sex Moderates Reward- and Loss-Related Neural Correlates of Triarchic-Model Traits and Antisocial Behavior. Clin Psychol Sci 2022; 10:700-713. [PMID: 35874917 PMCID: PMC9306410 DOI: 10.1177/21677026211054780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Abnormalities in responses to reward and loss are implicated in the etiology of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits. While there is evidence for sex differences in neural response to reward and loss, it remains unclear how sex differences may moderate links between these neural responses and the phenotypic expression of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits. This study examined sex differences in associations of neural response to reward and loss with antisocial personality symptoms and psychopathic traits. Functional neuroimaging data were collected during a monetary incentive delay task from 158 participants. Among males, during loss anticipation, activation in the left nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with antisocial behavior. Among females, during loss feedback, activation in the left nucleus accumbens and left amygdala was negatively associated with antisocial behavior. These results suggest that phenotypic sex differences in psychopathic traits and antisocial behavior may in part be attributable to different etiological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Brislin
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychology, 8 N Harrison Rd, Richmond VA, 23220, USA
| | - Alexander S. Weigard
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jillian E. Hardee
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lora M. Cope
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Meghan E. Martz
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Robert A. Zucker
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mary M. Heitzeg
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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6
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Berends YR, Tulen JH, Wierdsma AI, de Rijke YB, Kushner SA, van Marle HJ. Oxytocin moderates the association between testosterone-cortisol ratio and trustworthiness: A randomized placebo-controlled study. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2021; 8:100080. [PMID: 35757666 PMCID: PMC9216378 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin has been proposed to enhance feelings of trust, however, these findings have been difficult to replicate. Environmental or hormonal factors might influence this association. We studied whether oxytocin moderates the association between the testosterone-cortisol ratio, which is associated with risk taking behavior and aggression, and trustworthiness, while controlling for the general level of trust. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study with 53 healthy males was performed in which 32IU oxytocin (n = 27) or placebo (n = 26) was administered intranasally. Participants subsequently played the Trust Game in which they were allocated to the role of trustee. In the third phase of the Trust Game, we found a positive association between the testosterone-cortisol-ratio and the proportion of the amount that is returned to the investor (P=<0.01). However, administration of oxytocin reduced reciprocity in those with a high testosterone-cortisol ratio after reciprocity restoration (a significant interaction effect between administration of oxytocin and the testosterone-cortisol ratio in the third phase of the Trust Game, P = 0.015). The third phase of the Trust Game represents the restoration of reciprocity and trustworthiness, after this is violated in the second phase. Therefore, our data suggest that oxytocin might hinder the restoration of trustworthiness and diminish risk-taking behavior when trust is violated, especially in those who are hormonally prone to risk-taking behavior by a high testosterone-cortisol ratio. Oxytocin (32IU) was administered intranasally to healthy young males in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Testosterone-cortisol ratio was positively associated with trustworthiness during the Trust Game. Oxytocin significantly attenuated the association between testosterone-cortisol ratio and trustworthiness.
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7
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Masi G, Berloffa S, Milone A, Brovedani P. Social withdrawal and gender differences: Clinical phenotypes and biological bases. J Neurosci Res 2021; 101:751-763. [PMID: 33550643 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Evidence from everyday life suggests that differences in social behaviors between males and females exist, both in animal and in humans. These differences can be related to socio-cultural determinants, but also to specialized portions of the brain (the social brain), from the neurotransmitter to the neural network level. The high vulnerability of this system is expressed by the wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders associated with social dysfunctions, particularly social withdrawal. The principal psychiatric disorders with prominent social withdrawal are described, including hikikomori-like syndromes, and anxiety, depressive, autistic, schizophrenic, and personality disorders. It is hypothesized that social withdrawal can be partially independent from other symptoms and likely reflect alterations in the social brain itself, leading to a similar, transdiagnostic social dysfunction, reflecting defects in the social brain across a variety of psychopathological conditions. An overview is provided of gender effects in the biological determinants of social behavior, including: the anatomical structures of the social brain; the dimorphic brain structures, and the modulation of their development by sex steroids; gender differences in "social" neurotransmitters (vasopressin and oxytocin), and in their response to social stress. A better comprehension of gender differences in the phenotypes of social disorders and in the neural bases of social behaviors may provide new insights for timely, focused, innovative, and gender-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Masi
- IRCCS Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Berloffa
- IRCCS Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Annarita Milone
- IRCCS Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Brovedani
- IRCCS Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
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8
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Nitschke JP, Bartz JA. Lower digit ratio and higher endogenous testosterone are associated with lower empathic accuracy. Horm Behav 2020; 119:104648. [PMID: 31785282 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Empathy is a cornerstone of human sociality. It has important consequences for our interpersonal relationships and for navigating our social world more generally. Although research has identified numerous psychological factors that can influence empathy, evidence suggests that empathy may also be rooted in our biology and, in particular, the gonadal steroid hormone testosterone. To date, much of the research linking testosterone and empathy has focused on the 2D:4D ratio (i.e., the ratio of the lengths of the index and ring fingers), and the results have been mixed. These mixed results, however, may be due to reliance on self-report measures to assess empathy, which can be vulnerable to self-presentation, as well as social-cultural norms about gender/sex differences in empathy. Moreover, although some have argued that digit ratio is an indicator of prenatal androgen exposure, the evidence for this to date is weak. Here, we aimed to follow up on this prior work, using a naturalistic empathic accuracy task in which participants dynamically track, in real-time, the emotional state of targets. We show that lower digit ratio (Study 1; N = 107) and higher circulating testosterone (Study 2; N = 76) are associated with poorer empathic accuracy performance; critically, these effects hold when controlling for sex/gender. In neither study, however, did we find effects on self-reported empathy. Our results highlight the limitations of self-report measures and support the notion that endogenous testosterone levels as well as 2D:4D ratio are related to key social-cognitive competencies like empathic accuracy.
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9
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Jager A, Amiri H, Bielczyk N, van Heukelum S, Heerschap A, Aschrafi A, Poelmans G, Buitelaar JK, Kozicz T, Glennon JC. Cortical control of aggression: GABA signalling in the anterior cingulate cortex. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 30:5-16. [PMID: 29274996 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Reduced top-down control by cortical areas is assumed to underlie pathological forms of aggression. While the precise underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive, it seems that balancing the excitatory and inhibitory tones of cortical brain areas has a role in aggression control. The molecular mechanisms underpinning aggression control were examined in the BALB/cJ mouse model. First, these mice were extensively phenotyped for aggression and anxiety in comparison to BALB/cByJ controls. Microarray data was then used to construct a molecular landscape, based on the mRNAs that were differentially expressed in the brains of BALB/cJ mice. Subsequently, we provided corroborating evidence for the key findings from the landscape through 1H-magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative polymerase chain reactions, specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The molecular landscape predicted that altered GABA signalling may underlie the observed increased aggression and anxiety in BALB/cJ mice. This was supported by a 40% reduction of 1H-MRS GABA levels and a 20-fold increase of the GABA-degrading enzyme Abat in the ventral ACC. As a possible compensation, Kcc2, a potassium-chloride channel involved in GABA-A receptor signalling, was found increased. Moreover, we observed aggressive behaviour that could be linked to altered expression of neuroligin-2, a membrane-bound cell adhesion protein that mediates synaptogenesis of mainly inhibitory synapses. In conclusion, Abat and Kcc2 seem to be involved in modulating aggressive and anxious behaviours observed in BALB/cJ mice through affecting GABA signalling in the ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Jager
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Houshang Amiri
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Neuroscience Research Centre, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Natalia Bielczyk
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sabrina van Heukelum
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Arend Heerschap
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Geert Poelmans
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tamas Kozicz
- Department of Anatomy, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Cannabidiol attenuates aggressive behavior induced by social isolation in mice: Involvement of 5-HT1A and CB1 receptors. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 94:109637. [PMID: 31054943 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Long-term single housing increases aggressive behavior in mice, a condition named isolation-induced aggression or territorial aggression, which can be attenuated by anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antipsychotic drugs. Preclinical and clinical findings indicate that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotomimetic compound from Cannabis sativa, has anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antipsychotic properties. Few studies, however, have investigated the effects of CBD on aggressive behaviors. Here, we investigated whether CBD (5, 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg; i.p.) could attenuate social isolation-induced aggressive behavior in the resident-intruder test. Male Swiss mice (7-8 weeks) were single-housed for 10 days (resident mice) to induce aggressive behaviors, while conspecific mice of same sex and age (intruder mice) were group-housed. During the test, the intruder was placed into the resident's home-cage and aggressive behaviors initiated by the resident, including the latency for the first attack, number of attacks, and total duration of aggressive encounters, were recorded. The involvement of 5-HT1A and CB1 receptors (CB1R) in the effects of CBD was also investigated. All tested CBD doses induced anti-aggressive effects, indicated by a decrease in the number of attacks. CBD, at intermediary doses (15 and 30 mg/kg), also increased latency to attack the intruder and decreased the duration of aggressive encounters. No CBD dose interfered with locomotor behavior. CBD anti-aggressive effects were attenuated by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 (0.3 mg/kg) and the CB1 antagonist AM251 (1 mg/kg), suggesting that CBD decreases social isolation-induced aggressive behaviors through a mechanism associated with the activation of 5-HT1A and CB1 receptors. Also, CBD decreased c-Fos protein expression, a neuronal activity marker, in the lateral periaqueductal gray (lPAG) in social-isolated mice exposed to the resident-intruder test, indicating a potential involvement of this brain region in the drug effects. Taken together, our findings suggest that CBD may be therapeutically useful to treat aggressive behaviors that are usually associated with psychiatric disorders.
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Korpel POJ, Varkevisser T, Hoppenbrouwers SS, Van Honk J, Geuze E. The Predictive Value of Early-Life Trauma, Psychopathy, and the Testosterone-Cortisol Ratio for Impulsive Aggression Problems in Veterans. CHRONIC STRESS 2019; 3:2470547019871901. [PMID: 32440599 PMCID: PMC7219916 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019871901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background In this study, we examined whether early-life trauma, psychopathy, and the
testosterone/cortisol ratio predicted impulsive aggression problems in
veterans. Method A sample of 49 male veterans with impulsive aggression problems and 51
nonaggressive veterans were included in the study. Logistic regression
analysis was performed with early-life trauma, primary and secondary
psychopathy, and testosterone/cortisol ratio as continuous predictor
variables; impulsive aggression status was entered as a binary outcome
measure. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine pairwise relations
among the predictors. Results Results indicated that early-life trauma and secondary psychopathy, but not
the testosterone/cortisol ratio or primary psychopathy, were significant
predictors of impulsive aggression status. Conclusions The current results indicate that early-life trauma and secondary psychopathy
are risk factors for impulsive aggression problems among veterans. Future
studies are needed to determine the exact causal relations among the
variables examined here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline O J Korpel
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Brain Research and Innovation Center, Dutch Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tim Varkevisser
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Brain Research and Innovation Center, Dutch Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sylco S Hoppenbrouwers
- Thalamus, Centre for Neuropsychiatry and Behavioural Neurology, Wolfheze, the Netherlands
| | - Jack Van Honk
- Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elbert Geuze
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Brain Research and Innovation Center, Dutch Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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12
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Poole KL, Schmidt LA. Frontal brain delta-beta correlation, salivary cortisol, and social anxiety in children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2019; 60:646-654. [PMID: 30809809 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Correlated activity of slow-wave (e.g. delta) and fast-wave (e.g. beta) frontal brain oscillations is thought to be an electrophysiological correlate of individual differences in neuroendocrine activity and anxiety in adult samples. We know, however, relatively little about the physiological and functional correlates of delta-beta coupling in children. METHOD We examined whether longitudinal patterns of children's basal salivary cortisol and social anxiety across two visits separated by 1 year were associated with frontal brain delta-beta correlation in children (Mage = 7.59 years, SD = 1.70). At Time 1 (T1), resting baseline electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were collected from the children and delta and beta power was measured, and at both T1 and Time 2 (T2), basal salivary cortisol was measured, and parents reported on children's symptoms of social anxiety. RESULTS Using latent class growth curve analysis, we found that children's salivary cortisol across visits was characterized by a high, stable class (53%), and a low, unstable class (47%), and children's social anxiety was characterized by a high, stable class (50%) and a low, stable class (50%). Using Fisher's r-to-z transformation, we found that frontal EEG delta-beta correlation was significantly stronger among children with high, stable salivary cortisol levels (compared to the low, unstable class; z = 2.11, p = .02), and among children with high, stable social anxiety levels (compared to the low, stable class; z = 1.72, p = .04). CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that longitudinal patterns of neuroendocrine stress activity and social anxiety may be associated with the correlation of EEG power in slow and fast frontal brain oscillations as early as childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristie L Poole
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Louis A Schmidt
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Gadea M, Herrero N, Picó A, Espert R, Salvador A, Sanjuán J. Psychobiological response to an anger induction task in schizophrenia: The key role of anxiety. Psychiatry Res 2019; 271:541-547. [PMID: 30554100 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In this study an anger induction laboratory task was applied to men with schizophrenia, and resulted in significant changes in different psychophysiological parameters that were measured in a pre-post design. We observed a significantly greater self-reported anger mood and negative affection, lower self-reported positive affection, an increase in cardiovascular reactivity (with blood pressure in deeper affection compared to controls), higher salivary testosterone levels, lower salivary cortisol levels, and an increase in right ear items reported in dichotic listening. Furthermore, clinical risk factors related to anger in our patients were analyzed by Stepwise Regression analyses. Trait anger was significantly associated with a higher level of delusional pathology and impulsivity. Regarding the resulted state of anger as an output of the induction, the most relevant finding was that anxiety consistently and significantly predicted the increasing in anger feelings, and, remarkably, it predicted also the increasing in T levels and the cardiovascular reactivity of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marien Gadea
- Departament de Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibañez 21, València E. 46010, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia . Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (INCLIVA).
| | - Neus Herrero
- Departament de Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibañez 21, València E. 46010, Spain
| | - Alfonso Picó
- Departament de Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibañez 21, València E. 46010, Spain
| | - Raúl Espert
- Departament de Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibañez 21, València E. 46010, Spain
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Departament de Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibañez 21, València E. 46010, Spain
| | - Julio Sanjuán
- Unitat de Psiquiatria i Psicologia Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez 15, València E. 46010, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia . Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (INCLIVA)
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14
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Macrì S, Zoratto F, Chiarotti F, Laviola G. Can laboratory animals violate behavioural norms? Towards a preclinical model of conduct disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 91:102-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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15
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Haller J. The Role of the Lateral Hypothalamus in Violent Intraspecific Aggression-The Glucocorticoid Deficit Hypothesis. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:26. [PMID: 29937719 PMCID: PMC6002688 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This review argues for a central role of the lateral hypothalamus in those deviant forms of aggression, which result from chronic glucocorticoid deficiency. Currently, this nucleus is considered a key region of the mechanisms that control predatory aggression. However, recent findings demonstrate that it is strongly activated by aggression in subjects with a chronically downregulated hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis; moreover, this activation is causally involved in the emergence of violent aggression. The review has two parts. In the first part, we review human findings demonstrating that under certain conditions, strong stressors downregulate the HPA-axis on the long run, and that the resulting glucocorticoid deficiency is associated with violent aggression including aggressive delinquency and aggression-related psychopathologies. The second part addresses neural mechanisms in animals. We show that the experimental downregulation of HPA-axis function elicits violent aggression in rodents, and the activation of the brain circuitry that originally subserves predatory aggression accompanies this change. The lateral hypothalamus is not only an integral part of this circuitry, but can elicit deviant and violent forms of aggression. Finally, we formulate a hypothesis on the pathway that connects unfavorable social conditions to violent aggression via the neural circuitry that includes the lateral hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- József Haller
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Behavioural Sciences and Law Enforcement, National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary
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16
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Nofsinger JR, Patterson FM, Shank CA. Decision-making, financial risk aversion, and behavioral biases: The role of testosterone and stress. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2018; 29:1-16. [PMID: 29413584 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We examine the relation between testosterone, cortisol, and financial decisions in a sample of naïve investors. We find that testosterone level is positively related to excess risk-taking, whereas cortisol level is negatively related to excess risk-taking (correlation coefficient [r]: 0.75 and -0.21, respectively). Additionally, we find support for the dual-hormone hypothesis in a financial context. Specifically, the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio is significantly related to loss aversion. Individuals with a higher ratio are 3.4 times more likely to sell losing stocks (standard error [SE]: 1.63). Furthermore, we find a positive feedback loop between financial success, testosterone, and cortisol. Specifically, financial success is significantly related to higher post-trial testosterone and cortisol by a factor of 0.53 (SE: 0.14). Finally, we find that in a competitive environment, testosterone level increases significantly, leading to greater risk-taking than in noncompetitive environment. Overall, this study underscores the importance of the endocrine system on financial decision-making. The results of this study are relevant to a broad audience, including investors looking to optimize financial performance, industry human resources, market regulators, and researchers.
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17
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Russart KLG, Huk D, Nelson RJ, Kirschner LS. Elevated aggressive behavior in male mice with thyroid-specific Prkar1a and global Epac1 gene deletion. Horm Behav 2018; 98:121-129. [PMID: 29289659 PMCID: PMC5828986 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in circulating thyroid hormone concentrations are associated with several psychological and behavioral disorders. In humans, behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder can be associated with thyroid disease. The Tpo-Cre;Prkar1aflox/flox;Epac1-/- (R1A-Epac1KO) mice, originally bred to investigate the role of exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac1) in follicular thyroid cancer, displayed self-mutilating and aggressive behaviors during casual observation. To assess these atypical responses, behavioral testing was conducted with the R1A-Epac1KO mice, as well as their single knockout counterparts, the thyroid-specific Prkar1a-/- and global Epac1-/- mice. Mice of all three genotypes demonstrated increased aggressive behavior against an intruder mouse. In addition, Epac1-/- mice increased response to an auditory stimulus, and the Prkar1a-/- and R1A-Epac1KO mice increased swimming behavior in the Porsolt forced swim test. Both Prkar1a-/- mice and R1A-Epac1KO mice have increased circulating thyroxine and corticosterone concentrations. Although hyperthyroidism has not been previously associated with aggression, increased thyroid hormone signaling might contribute to the increased aggressive response to the intruder mouse, as well as the increased swimming response. Mice with a genetic background of Tpo-Cre;Prkar1aflox/flox;Epac1-/- are aggressive, and both the thyroid-specific knockout of Prkar1a and global knockout of Epac1 likely contribute to this aggressive behavior. This study supports the hypothesis that altered thyroid signaling and aggressive behavior are linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L G Russart
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Danielle Huk
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lawrence S Kirschner
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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18
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Differentiating the influence of incidental anger and fear on risk decision-making. Physiol Behav 2017; 184:179-188. [PMID: 29196018 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has revealed that incidental emotions of different valence (positive/negative/neutral) produce distinct impacts on risk decision-making. This study went on to compare the effects of different emotions of which the valence are identical. We focused on anger and fear, both of which are negative emotions but differ in motivational and appraisal dimensions. Participants finished a forced-choice gambling task, during which incidental emotions (anger/fear/happy) were elicited by facial stimuli selected from the Chinese Facial Affective Picture System. Behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) data were recorded in the experiment, which showed that anger and fear were different in their influence on behavioral risk preference and the relationship between outcome processing and subsequent risk decisions. Regarding the behavioral results, risk preference in the anger condition was higher than the fear condition, but lower than the happy condition. Regarding the ERP results elicited by outcome feedback (gain/loss), in the fear condition, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) was positively correlated with risk preference; in the anger condition, the gain-related P3 component was positively correlated with risk preference; in the happy condition, both the FRN and the loss-related P3 was negatively correlated with risk preference. The current findings provide novel insight into distinguishing the effect of different incidental emotions on risk preference.
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19
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Phan JM, Schneider E, Peres J, Miocevic O, Meyer V, Shirtcliff EA. Social evaluative threat with verbal performance feedback alters neuroendocrine response to stress. Horm Behav 2017; 96:104-115. [PMID: 28919553 PMCID: PMC5753599 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Laboratory stress tasks such as the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) have provided a key piece to the puzzle for how psychosocial stress impacts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, other stress-responsive biomarkers, and ultimately wellbeing. These tasks are thought to work through biopsychosocial processes, specifically social evaluative threat and the uncontrollability heighten situational demands. The present study integrated an experimental modification to the design of the TSST to probe whether additional social evaluative threat, via negative verbal feedback about speech performance, can further alter stress reactivity in 63 men and women. This TSST study confirmed previous findings related to stress reactivity and stress recovery but extended this literature in several ways. First, we showed that additional social evaluative threat components, mid-task following the speech portion of the TSST, were still capable of enhancing the psychosocial stressor. Second, we considered stress-reactive hormones beyond cortisol to include dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone, and found these hormones were also stress-responsive, and their release was coupled with one another. Third, we explored whether gain- and loss-framing incentive instructions, meant to influence performance motivation by enhancing the personal relevance of task performance, impacted hormonal reactivity. Results showed that each hormone was stress reactive and further had different responses to the modified TSST compared to the original TSST. Beyond the utility of showing how the TSST can be modified with heightened social evaluative threat and incentive-framing instructions, this study informs about how these three stress-responsive hormones have differential responses to the demands of a challenge and a stressor.
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20
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Fonagy P, Luyten P. Conduct problems in youth and the RDoC approach: A developmental, evolutionary-based view. Clin Psychol Rev 2017; 64:57-76. [PMID: 28935341 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Problems related to aggression in young people are traditionally subsumed under the header of conduct problems, which include conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Such problems in children and adolescents are an important societal and mental health problem. In this paper we present an evolutionarily informed developmental psychopathology view of conduct problems inspired by the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative. We assume that while there are many pathways to conduct problems, chronic or temporary impairments in the domain of social cognition or mentalizing are a common denominator. Specifically, we conceptualize conduct problems as reflecting temporary or chronic difficulties with mentalizing, that is, the capacity to understand the self and others in terms of intentional mental states, leading to a failure to inhibit interpersonal violence through a process of perspective-taking and empathy. These difficulties, in turn, stem from impairments in making use of a normally evolutionarily protected social learning system that functions to facilitate intergenerational knowledge transmission and protect social collaborative processes from impulsive and aggressive action. Temperamental, biological, and social risk factors in different combinations may all contribute to this outcome. This adaptation then interacts with impairments in other domains of functioning, such as in negative and positive valence systems and cognitive systems. This view highlights the importance of a complex interplay among biological, psychological, and environmental factors in understanding the origins of conduct problems. We outline the implications of these views for future research and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Fonagy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
| | - Patrick Luyten
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
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21
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Shangguan F, Liu T, Liu X, Shi J. The Correlation among Neural Dynamic Processing of Conflict Control, Testosterone and Cortisol Levels in 10-Year-Old Children. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1037. [PMID: 28690571 PMCID: PMC5479902 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control is related to goal-directed self-regulation abilities, which is fundamental for human development. Conflict control includes the neural processes of conflict monitoring and conflict resolution. Testosterone and cortisol are essential hormones for the development of cognitive functions. However, there are no studies that have investigated the correlation of these two hormones with conflict control in preadolescents. In this study, we aimed to explore whether testosterone, cortisol, and testosterone/cortisol ratio worked differently for preadolescent's conflict control processes in varied conflict control tasks. Thirty-two 10-year-old children (16 boys and 16 girls) were enrolled. They were instructed to accomplish three conflict control tasks with different conflict dimensions, including the Flanker, Simon, and Stroop tasks, and electrophysiological signals were recorded. Salivary samples were collected from each child. The testosterone and cortisol levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The electrophysiological results showed that the incongruent trials induced greater N2/N450 and P3/SP responses than the congruent trials during neural processes of conflict monitoring and conflict resolution in the Flanker and Stroop tasks. The hormonal findings showed that (1) the testosterone/cortisol ratio was correlated with conflict control accuracy and conflict resolution in the Flanker task; (2) the testosterone level was associated with conflict control performance and neural processing of conflict resolution in the Stroop task; (3) the cortisol level was correlated with conflict control performance and neural processing of conflict monitoring in the Simon task. In conclusion, in 10-year-old children, the fewer processes a task needs, the more likely there is an association between the T/C ratios and the behavioral and brain response, and the dual-hormone effects on conflict resolution may be testosterone-driven in the Stroop and Flanker tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Shangguan
- Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Department of Psychology, Capital Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Tongran Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Xiuying Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Jiannong Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
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22
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Studies into abnormal aggression in humans and rodents: Methodological and translational aspects. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 76:77-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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23
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Niermann HCM, Figner B, Roelofs K. Individual differences in defensive stress-responses: the potential relevance for psychopathology. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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24
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Pfattheicher S. Illuminating the dual-hormone hypothesis: About chronic dominance and the interaction of cortisol and testosterone. Aggress Behav 2017; 43:85-92. [PMID: 27407048 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The dual-hormone hypothesis suggests that testosterone is positively associated with status-seeking tendencies such as aggression and dominance, particularly in individuals with low levels of cortisol. Although recent research supports the dual-hormone hypothesis, its boundary conditions under which the dual-hormone interaction is likely to emerge are not clearly understood. In the present study (N = 153), the dual-hormone hypothesis was empirically tested in the context of an economic game that included a decision whether to dominate another individual. We also examined whether the dual-hormone interaction is more likely to be found in individuals who are chronically prone to dominance tendencies. Results revealed a significant testosterone × cortisol interaction in line with the dual-hormone hypothesis. Additionally, the testosterone × cortisol interaction was only significant in individuals with a high level of chronic dominance. Overall, the present work suggests that chronic personality tendencies should be taken into account in order to explore (the boundary conditions) of hormone-behavior associations. Aggr. Behav. 43:85-92, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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25
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Buades-Rotger M, Engelke C, Beyer F, Keevil BG, Brabant G, Krämer UM. Endogenous testosterone is associated with lower amygdala reactivity to angry faces and reduced aggressive behavior in healthy young women. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38538. [PMID: 27924836 PMCID: PMC5141420 DOI: 10.1038/srep38538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Testosterone and cortisol have been proposed to influence aggressive behavior by altering the neural processing of facial threat signals. However, this has not been investigated in direct social interactions. Here, we explored the joint impact of testosterone, cortisol, and brain reactivity to anger expressions on women’s reactive aggression in the Social Threat Aggression Paradigm (STAP). The STAP is a competitive reaction time task in which the purported opponent displays either an angry or a neutral facial expression at the beginning of each trial and delivers increasingly loud sound blasts to the participants, successfully provoking them. Strikingly, salivary testosterone at scan-time was negatively related to both aggression and basolateral amygdala (BLA) reactivity to angry faces, whereas cortisol had no effect. When the opponent looked angry, BLA-orbitofrontal coupling was reduced, and BLA reactivity was positively related to aggression. The latter relationship was fully mediated by bilateral superior temporal gyrus (STG) activation. Our results thus support previous neurobiological models of aggression, and extend them by demonstrating that fast amygdala responses to threat modulate STG activity in order to favor aggressive retaliation. Furthermore, our study agrees with recent evidence underscoring a fear-reducing and strategically prosocial effect of testosterone on human social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macià Buades-Rotger
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute of Psychology II, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | - Frederike Beyer
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Brian G Keevil
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Georg Brabant
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ulrike M Krämer
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute of Psychology II, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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26
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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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27
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Stefansson J, Chatzittofis A, Nordström P, Arver S, Åsberg M, Jokinen J. CSF and plasma testosterone in attempted suicide. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:1-6. [PMID: 27567115 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Very few studies have assessed testosterone levels in the cerebrospinal fluid in suicide attempters. Aggressiveness and impulsivity are common behavioural traits in suicide attempters. Dual-hormone serotonergic theory on human impulsive aggression implies high testosterone/cortisol ratio acting on the amygdala and low serotonin in the prefrontal cortex. Our aim was to examine the CSF and plasma testosterone levels in suicide attempters and in healthy volunteers. We also assessed the relationship between the testosterone/cortisol ratio, aggressiveness and impulsivity in suicide attempters. 28 medication-free suicide attempters and 19 healthy volunteers participated in the study. CSF and plasma testosterone sulfate and cortisol levels were assessed with specific radio-immunoassays. The Karolinska Scales of Personality was used to assess impulsivity and aggressiveness. All patients were followed up for cause of death. The mean follow-up period was 21 years. Male suicide attempters had higher CSF and plasma testosterone levels than age- matched male healthy volunteers. There were no significant differences in CSF testosterone levels in female suicide attempters and healthy female volunteers. Testosterone levels did not differ significantly in suicide victims compared to survivors. In male suicide attempters, the CSF testosterone/cortisol ratio showed a significant positive correlation with both impulsivity and aggressiveness. Higher CSF testosterone levels may be associated with attempted suicide in young men through association with both aggressiveness and impulsivity, a key endophenotype in young male suicide attempters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Stefansson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience/Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Chatzittofis
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience/Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Nordström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience/Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Arver
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Åsberg
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jussi Jokinen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience/Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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28
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Abstract
The challenge of studying human cognitive evolution is identifying unique features of our intelligence while explaining the processes by which they arose. Comparisons with nonhuman apes point to our early-emerging cooperative-communicative abilities as crucial to the evolution of all forms of human cultural cognition, including language. The human self-domestication hypothesis proposes that these early-emerging social skills evolved when natural selection favored increased in-group prosociality over aggression in late human evolution. As a by-product of this selection, humans are predicted to show traits of the domestication syndrome observed in other domestic animals. In reviewing comparative, developmental, neurobiological, and paleoanthropological research, compelling evidence emerges for the predicted relationship between unique human mentalizing abilities, tolerance, and the domestication syndrome in humans. This synthesis includes a review of the first a priori test of the self-domestication hypothesis as well as predictions for future tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Hare
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708;
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29
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Hortensius R, de Gelder B, Schutter DJLG. When anger dominates the mind: Increased motor corticospinal excitability in the face of threat. Psychophysiology 2016; 53:1307-16. [PMID: 27325519 PMCID: PMC5113684 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Threat demands fast and adaptive reactions that are manifested at the physiological, behavioral, and phenomenological level and are responsive to the direction of threat and its severity for the individual. Here, we investigated the effects of threat directed toward or away from the observer on motor corticospinal excitability and explicit recognition. Sixteen healthy right‐handed volunteers completed a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) task and a separate three‐alternative forced‐choice emotion recognition task. Single‐pulse TMS to the left primary motor cortex was applied to measure motor evoked potentials from the right abductor pollicis brevis in response to dynamic angry, fearful, and neutral bodily expressions with blurred faces directed toward or away from the observer. Results showed that motor corticospinal excitability increased independent of direction of anger compared with fear and neutral. In contrast, anger was better recognized when directed toward the observer compared with when directed away from the observer, while the opposite pattern was found for fear. The present results provide evidence for the differential effects of threat direction on explicit recognition and motor corticospinal excitability. In the face of threat, motor corticospinal excitability increases independently of the direction of anger, indicative of the importance of more automatic reactions to threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruud Hortensius
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.,Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Beatrice de Gelder
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Donders Institute of Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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30
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Gettler LT. Becoming DADS: Considering the Role of Cultural Context and Developmental Plasticity for Paternal Socioendocrinology. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1086/686149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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31
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Gettler LT, Oka RC. Aging US males with multiple sources of emotional social support have low testosterone. Horm Behav 2016; 78:32-42. [PMID: 26472597 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Among species expressing bi-parental care, males' testosterone is often low when they cooperate with females to raise offspring. In humans, low testosterone men might have an advantage as nurturant partners and parents because they are less prone to anger and reactive aggression and are more empathetic. However, humans engage in cooperative, supportive relationships beyond the nuclear family, and these prosocial capacities were likely critical to our evolutionary success. Despite the diversity of human prosociality, no prior study has tested whether men's testosterone is also reduced when they participate in emotionally supportive relationships, beyond partnering and parenting. Here, we draw on testosterone and emotional social support data that were collected from older men (n=371; mean: 61.2years of age) enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a US nationally-representative study. Men who reported receiving emotional support from two or more sources had lower testosterone than men reporting zero support (all p<0.01). Males with the most support (4+ sources) also had lower testosterone than those with one source of support (p<0.01). Men who reported emotional support from diverse (kin+non-kin or multiple kin) sources had lower testosterone than those with no support (p<0.05). Expanding on research on partnering and parenting, our findings are consistent with the notion that low testosterone is downstream of and/or facilitates an array of supportive social relationships. Our results contribute novel insights on the intersections between health, social support, and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States.
| | - Rahul C Oka
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
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Donovan KA, Walker LM, Wassersug RJ, Thompson LMA, Robinson JW. Psychological effects of androgen-deprivation therapy on men with prostate cancer and their partners. Cancer 2015; 121:4286-99. [PMID: 26372364 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Revised: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The clinical benefits of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for men with prostate cancer (PC) have been well documented and include living free from the symptoms of metastases for longer periods and improved quality of life. However, ADT comes with a host of its own serious side effects. There is considerable evidence of the adverse cardiovascular, metabolic, and musculoskeletal effects of ADT. Far less has been written about the psychological effects of ADT. This review highlights several adverse psychological effects of ADT. The authors provide evidence for the effect of ADT on men's sexual function, their partner, and their sexual relationship. Evidence of increased emotional lability and depressed mood in men who receive ADT is also presented, and the risk of depression in the patient's partner is discussed. The evidence for adverse cognitive effects with ADT is still emerging but suggests that ADT is associated with impairment in multiple cognitive domains. Finally, the available literature is reviewed on interventions to mitigate the psychological effects of ADT. Across the array of adverse effects, physical exercise appears to have the greatest potential to address the psychological effects of ADT both in men who are receiving ADT and in their partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine A Donovan
- Supportive Care Medicine Department, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Lauren M Walker
- Department of Psychosocial Resources and Rehabilitation Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Center, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Richard J Wassersug
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Australian Research Center in Sex, Health, and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lora M A Thompson
- Supportive Care Medicine Department, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - John W Robinson
- Department of Psychosocial Resources and Rehabilitation Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Center, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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33
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Platje E, Popma A, Vermeiren RR, Doreleijers TA, Meeus WH, van Lier PA, Koot HM, Branje SJ, Jansen LM. Testosterone and cortisol in relation to aggression in a non-clinical sample of boys and girls. Aggress Behav 2015; 41:478-87. [PMID: 25736033 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone and cortisol have been proposed to jointly regulate aggressive behavior. However, few empirical studies actually investigated this joint relation in humans, and reported inconsistent findings. Also, samples in these studies were small and/or specific, and consisted largely of males. Therefore, in the current study testosterone and cortisol in relation to aggression were investigated in a non-clinical sample of 259 boys and girls (mean age 16.98 years, SD = 0.42, 56% boys). A positive testosterone/cortisol ratio, that is, high testosterone relative to cortisol, was found to be associated with aggressive behavior, explaining 7% of the variance. The interaction between testosterone and cortisol was not related to aggressive behavior and gender differences were not found. The ratio may reflect an imbalance leaving the individual more prone to rewarding aspects, than fearful of negative implications of aggressive behavior. Current findings indicate that this relation can be generalized to aggression in non-clinical adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Platje
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies; Leiden University; Leiden The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition; Leiden University; Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology; Leiden University; Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Robert R.J.M. Vermeiren
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Curium-Leiden University Medical Center; Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Theo A.H. Doreleijers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Wim H.J. Meeus
- Research Center Adolescent Development; Utrecht University; Utrecht The Netherlands
- Tilburg School of Behavioral and Social Sciences; Tilburg University; Tilburg The Netherlands
| | - Pol A.C. van Lier
- Department of Developmental Psychology; VU University; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Hans M. Koot
- Department of Developmental Psychology; VU University; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Susan J.T. Branje
- Research Center Adolescent Development; Utrecht University; Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Lucres M.C. Jansen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
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Angus DJ, Kemkes K, Schutter DJLG, Harmon-Jones E. Anger is associated with reward-related electrocortical activity: Evidence from the reward positivity. Psychophysiology 2015; 52:1271-80. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J. Angus
- School of Psychology; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
- School of Psychology; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - Kevin Kemkes
- School of Psychology; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
- Graduate School of Life Sciences; Utrecht University; Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Dennis J. L. G. Schutter
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University; Nijmegen The Netherlands
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de Almeida RMM, Cabral JCC, Narvaes R. Behavioural, hormonal and neurobiological mechanisms of aggressive behaviour in human and nonhuman primates. Physiol Behav 2015; 143:121-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.02.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Rausch J, Gäbel A, Nagy K, Kleindienst N, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K. Increased testosterone levels and cortisol awakening responses in patients with borderline personality disorder: gender and trait aggressiveness matter. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 55:116-27. [PMID: 25796037 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by antagonism, negative affectivity, disinhibition, and impairments in interpersonal functioning, including enhanced impulsive aggression. Interpersonal dysfunctions may be related to alterations in endocrine systems. The current study investigated alterations in basal activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) reproductive and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress system in BPD patients and their association to anger-related aggression with a particular focus on effects of gender and comorbid conditions of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD Saliva testosterone levels as well as cortisol awakening responses were assessed in 55 medication-free female and male patients with BPD and compared to 47 gender-, age-, and intelligence-matched healthy volunteers. In addition, analyses controlling for current depression and PSTD and bivariate correlations between testosterone and cortisol levels on the one hand and anger and aggressiveness on the other hand were performed. RESULTS The results revealed increased saliva testosterone levels in female and male patients with BPD as well as elevated cortisol awakening responses in female, but not male patients with BPD compared to healthy volunteers. Cortisol awakening responses were positively related to anger and aggressiveness in female patients with BPD, but no associations were found with testosterone levels. CONCLUSION In line with previous reports, the present results suggest endocrine alterations in BPD which may be associated with interpersonal impairments, such as increased anger-related aggressive behavior and could have implications for the development of new (psychopharmaco-) therapeutic interventions that may help to restore the alterations in the HPA and HPG systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Rausch
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Gäbel
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Krisztina Nagy
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Kleindienst
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Bertsch
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
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37
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Estradiol and cortisol interactions in youth externalizing psychopathology. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 55:146-53. [PMID: 25765756 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence has indicated that gonadal and stress hormones interact to shape socially dominant behavior and externalizing psychopathology; however, such work to date has focused exclusively on the testosterone-cortisol interaction, despite expectations that estradiol should be associated with similar behavioral outcomes to testosterone. Here, we present the first empirical test of the hypothesis that adolescent males and females (N=105, ages 13-18) with high estradiol and low cortisol concentrations are at highest risk for externalizing problems, but - replicating previous work - only among adolescents high on pathological personality traits. Parents reported on youth psychopathology and personality, and hormone concentrations were measured via passive drool. Results confirmed the hypothesis: high estradiol was associated with more externalizing behaviors, but only when cortisol was low and personality traits of disagreeableness and emotional instability were high. Further, these associations held when controlling for testosterone concentrations. These findings provide the first empirical evidence of a hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA)×hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis interaction that extends the "dual hormone" hypothesis beyond testosterone.
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38
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Han G, Miller JG, Cole PM, Zahn-Waxler C, Hastings PD. Adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems predict their affect-specific HPA and HPG axes reactivity. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 57:769-85. [PMID: 25604092 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
We examined psychopathology-neuroendocrine associations in relation to the transition into adolescence within a developmental framework that acknowledged the interdependence of the HPA and HPG hormone systems in the regulation of responses to everyday affective contexts. Saliva samples were collected during anxiety and anger inductions from 51 young adolescents (M 13.47, SD = .60 years) to evaluate cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone responses. Internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed at pre-adolescence (M = 9.27, SD = .58 years) while youths were in elementary school and concurrently with hormones in early adolescence. Externalizing problems from elementary school predicted adolescents' reduced DHEA reactivity during anxiety induction. Follow up analyses simultaneously examining the contributions of elementary school and adolescent problems showed a trend suggesting that youths with higher levels of internalizing problems during elementary school eventuated in a profile of heightened DHEA reactivity as adolescents undergoing anxiety induction. For both the anxiety and the anger inductions, it was normative for DHEA and testosterone to be positively coupled. Adolescents with high externalizing problems but low internalizing problems marshaled dual axes co-activation during anger induction in the form of positive cortisol-testosterone coupling. This is some of the first evidence suggesting affective context determines whether dual axes coupling is reflective of normative or problematic functioning in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georges Han
- Department of Psychology, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Jonas G Miller
- Department of Psychology, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Pamela M Cole
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
| | | | - Paul D Hastings
- Department of Psychology, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
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Welker KM, Gruber J, Mehta PH. A Positive Affective Neuroendocrinology Approach to Reward and Behavioral Dysregulation. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:93. [PMID: 26191007 PMCID: PMC4489099 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging lines of research suggest that both testosterone and maladaptive reward processing can modulate behavioral dysregulation. Yet, to date, no integrative account has been provided that systematically explains neuroendocrine function, dysregulation of reward, and behavioral dysregulation in a unified perspective. This is particularly important given specific neuroendocrine systems are potential mechanisms underlying and giving rise to reward-relevant behaviors. In this review, we propose a forward-thinking approach to study the mechanisms of reward and behavioral dysregulation from a positive affective neuroendocrinology (PANE) perspective. This approach holds that testosterone increases reward processing and motivation, which increase the likelihood of behavioral dysregulation. Additionally, the PANE framework holds that reward processing mediates the effects of testosterone on behavioral dysregulation. We also explore sources of potential sex differences and the roles of age, cortisol, and individual differences within the PANE framework. Finally, we discuss future prospects for research questions and methodology in the emerging field of affective neuroendocrinology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith M Welker
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder, CO , USA
| | - June Gruber
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder, CO , USA
| | - Pranjal H Mehta
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon , Eugene, OR , USA
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40
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Moran JK, Weierstall R, Elbert T. Differences in brain circuitry for appetitive and reactive aggression as revealed by realistic auditory scripts. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:425. [PMID: 25538590 PMCID: PMC4260506 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is thought to divide into two motivational elements: The first being a self-defensively motivated aggression against threat and a second, hedonically motivated "appetitive" aggression. Appetitive aggression is the less understood of the two, often only researched within abnormal psychology. Our approach is to understand it as a universal and adaptive response, and examine the functional neural activity of ordinary men (N = 50) presented with an imaginative listening task involving a murderer describing a kill. We manipulated motivational context in a between-subjects design to evoke appetitive or reactive aggression, against a neutral control, measuring activity with Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Results show differences in left frontal regions in delta (2-5 Hz) and alpha band (8-12 Hz) for aggressive conditions and right parietal delta activity differentiating appetitive and reactive aggression. These results validate the distinction of reward-driven appetitive aggression from reactive aggression in ordinary populations at the level of functional neural brain circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Moran
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Elbert
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany
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41
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Cornet LJM, de Kogel CH, Nijman HLI, Raine A, van der Laan PH. Neurobiological factors as predictors of cognitive-behavioral therapy outcome in individuals with antisocial behavior: a review of the literature. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 2014; 58:1279-1296. [PMID: 23839226 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x13494694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on the predictive value of neurobiological factors in relation to cognitive-behavioral therapy outcome among individuals with antisocial behavior. Ten relevant studies were found. Although the literature on this topic is scarce and diverse, it appears that specific neurobiological characteristics, such as physiological arousal levels, can predict treatment outcome. The predictive value of neurobiological factors is important as it could give more insight into the causes of variability in treatment outcome among individuals with antisocial behavior. Furthermore, results can contribute to improvement in current treatment selection procedures and to the development of alternative treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza J M Cornet
- The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands Research and Documentation Centre (WODC), Ministry of Security and Justice, Den Haag, The Netherlands
| | - Catharina H de Kogel
- Research and Documentation Centre (WODC), Ministry of Security and Justice, Den Haag, The Netherlands
| | - Henk L I Nijman
- Altrecht, Den Dolder, The Netherlands Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Adrian Raine
- Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Peter H van der Laan
- The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands Faculty of Law, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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42
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Lobbestael J, Baumeister RF, Fiebig T, Eckel LA. The role of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in self-reported and laboratory aggression and testosterone reactivity. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Lackner CL, Marshall WJ, Santesso DL, Dywan J, Wade T, Segalowitz SJ. Adolescent anxiety and aggression can be differentially predicted by electrocortical phase reset variables. Brain Cogn 2014; 89:90-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2013.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Revised: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Marceau K, Ruttle PL, Shirtcliff EA, Essex MJ, Susman EJ. Developmental and contextual considerations for adrenal and gonadal hormone functioning during adolescence: Implications for adolescent mental health. Dev Psychobiol 2014; 57:742-68. [PMID: 24729154 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Substantial research has implicated the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes independently in adolescent mental health problems, though this literature remains largely inconclusive. Given the cross-talk between the HPA and HPG axes and their increased activation in adolescence, a dual-axis approach that examines both axes simultaneously is proposed to predict the emergence and persistence of adolescent mental health problems. After briefly orienting readers to HPA and HPG axis functioning, we review the literature examining associations between hormone levels and changes with behavior during adolescence. Then, we provide a review of the literature supporting examination of both axes simultaneously and present the limited research that has taken a dual-axis approach. We propose future directions including consideration of between-person and within-person approaches to address questions of correlated changes in HPA and HPG hormones. Potential moderators are considered to increase understanding of the nuanced hormone-behavior associations during key developmental transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Marceau
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. .,Brown University, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, RI. .,Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI.
| | - Paula L Ruttle
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Elizabeth A Shirtcliff
- Iowa State University, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, New Orleans, LA
| | - Marilyn J Essex
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
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Abstract
In a manuscript entitled, "Bashful boys and coy girls: A review of gender differences in childhood shyness" Doey et al. (2013) suggest that shyness and its related constructs pose a greater developmental risk for boys compared to girls. They support this claim by citing empirical evidence suggesting that shy and anxiously withdrawn boys are responded to more negatively by important others (i.e., parents, peers, and teachers) and that the relationship between internalizing problems and anxious withdrawal is stronger for boys compared to girls. The principal aim of our commentary is to provide a critical examination of Doey et al.'s conclusions vis-à-vis gender differences in child and adolescent shyness. In this response, we begin by providing important theoretical background regarding shyness and its related constructs. Next, we critically examine the two main arguments the authors use in support of their conclusion through a review of existing empirical and theoretical work as well as the presentation of data from The Friendship Project. These data were analyzed with the specific purpose of providing an empirical test of the hypotheses implicit in Doey et al.'s primary arguments: 1) shy and anxiously withdrawn boys are responded to more negatively than girls and 2) the association between anxious withdrawal and internalizing problems is stronger for boys compared to girls. Our results indicate mixed support for these two claims. Finally, we conclude by suggesting new directions for future researchers interested in clarifying the relationship between gender and both the correlates and outcomes of childhood shyness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth H. Rubin
- Department of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, 3304 Benjamin Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Matthew G. Barstead
- Department of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, 3304 Benjamin Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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46
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Marceau K, Shirtcliff EA, Hastings P, Klimes-Dougan B, Zahn-Waxler C, Dorn L, Susman EJ. Within-adolescent coupled changes in cortisol with DHEA and testosterone in response to three stressors during adolescence. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 41:33-45. [PMID: 24495606 PMCID: PMC3938090 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Revised: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
It is hypothesized that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes function together to maintain adaptive functioning during stressful situations differently in adolescence than the characteristic inverse relations found in adulthood. We examined within-person correlated changes (coupling) in cortisol, DHEA and testosterone in response to parent-adolescent conflict discussion, social performance, and venipuncture paradigms. Data are derived from two samples of boys and girls from the Northeastern US (213 adolescents aged 11-16, M=13.7, SD=1.5 years; 108 adolescents aged 9-14, M=11.99, SD=1.55) using different biological sampling vehicles (saliva and blood). Results consistently show that across samples, vehicles, and contexts, cortisol and DHEA and cortisol and testosterone are positively coupled in response to environmental stimuli. Findings underscore the importance of considering the effects of multiple hormones together in order to further our understanding of the biological underpinnings of behavior, especially during adolescence, as adolescence is a developmental transition period that may be qualitatively different from adulthood in terms of hormone functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Marceau
- The Pennsylvania State University, United States; Division of Behavior Genetics, Rhode Island Hospital Department of Psychiatry, United States; Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, United States.
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Immunoglobulin A response to acute stress in intimate partner violence perpetrators: The role of anger expression-out and testosterone. Biol Psychol 2014; 96:66-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2013] [Revised: 11/25/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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48
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Pfattheicher S, Keller J. Towards a biopsychological understanding of costly punishment: the role of basal cortisol. PLoS One 2014; 9:e85691. [PMID: 24416441 PMCID: PMC3885749 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent findings have documented a negative relation of basal endogenous cortisol and aggression after a provocation (i.e., reactive aggression) in humans. We build on these findings and investigated the relation of endogenous cortisol and reactive aggression in a social dilemma situation, that is, costly punishment of individuals who did not appropriately contribute to a common group project. Specifically, we predicted that basal cortisol is negatively related to costly punishment of uncooperative individuals. In the present study, basal cortisol was assessed prior to a public goods game with the option to punish other group members. In line with previous research on reactive aggression and basal cortisol, we found that basal cortisol was indeed negatively related to costly punishment. The findings are important for understanding costly punishment because this tendency has been documented as a possible basis for the evolution of cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johannes Keller
- Department of Social Psychology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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Coalescence of dominance motivation and responses to facial anger in resting-state and event-related electrophysiology. Neuroimage 2013; 79:138-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.04.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2012] [Revised: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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Schutter DJLG, Harmon-Jones E. The corpus callosum: a commissural road to anger and aggression. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:2481-8. [PMID: 23911937 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Revised: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 07/20/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
According to the frontal cortical asymmetry model of motivational direction, anger and aggression are associated with approach motivation and a dominant left frontal hemisphere. Functional interhemispheric connectivity has been proposed as a possible mechanism that could explain the frontal cortical asymmetry of anger and aggression. Reciprocal interactions between the cerebral hemispheres are primarily established by the corpus callosum which is the largest white matter bundle of the human brain. Experimental brain research has now provided evidence for callosal involvement in approach-motivation. In line with the frontal cortical asymmetry model of motivational direction, differences in the direction of interhemispheric signal transfer are proposed to contribute to anger and aggression. It is concluded that the human corpus callosum provides a possible neuroanatomical correlate for frontal cortical asymmetries and that interhemispheric signal transfer plays a role in the emergence of approach-related motivation and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis J L G Schutter
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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