Posted by ed_uk on December 7, 2004, at 7:41:00
In reply to Re: MAOIs and aggression, posted by linkadge on December 6, 2004, at 14:00:33
Hi,
Serotonin/aggression
Have scientists got it wrong?Some investigators have linked low 5-HIAA concentrations to aggression. It has been suggested that low 5-HIAA concentrations resulted from low serotonin levels. Hence, it has been suggested that low serotonin may lead to aggression. (BTW, I know that this is an oversimplification!)
Anyway, inhibition of MAO raises serotonin levels but reduces 5-HIAA levels. Perhaps the association between low serotonin and aggression was incorrect. The low 5-HIAA concentration observed in aggression may have resulted from low MAO activity. Perhaps, in some people, the high levels of serotonin resulting from the use of SSRIs or MAOIs may cause aggressive behaviour.
Maybe, as Linkadge suggested, stimulation of 5-HT(2) receptors is partly resonsible for serotonin-induced increase in aggression..............................................'Mice deficient in monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) have elevated brain levels of 5-HT and manifest enhanced aggression. We used these mice as a model to study the role of 5-HT in aggression. Our results show that ketanserin and tetrabenazine (TBZ) strikingly abolished the aggressive behavior of MAO A-deficient mice. The anti-aggressive effect of ketanserin may be primarily mediated by 5-HT(2A) receptors. 'Ed.
poster:ed_uk
thread:425286
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041206/msgs/425639.html