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PubMed1994

Reliability and diagnostic efficacy of parents' reports regarding children's exposure to marital aggression.

Mothers, fathers, and 8- to 11-year-old children from 181 two-parent families independently reported on the occurrence of husband-to-wife physical aggression and wife-to-husband physical aggression; parents additionally indicated whether the child had been witness to the aggression. First this study examined interspousal agreement regarding whether parents have been physically aggressive toward one another and whether the child has witnessed interparental physical aggression. There was moderate agreement between parents as to the occurrence of physical aggression and only fair agreement as to whether the child saw or heard the aggression. Second, this study explored the diagnosticity of a joint parent report as an indicator of child exposure to marital aggression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves are presented separately for husbands' and wives' aggression, indicating the explicit trade-off between true positives (sensitivity) and false positives (one minus specificity) in using the joint parent report as a diagnostic indicator. Standard ROC analysis suggests that the joint parent report is equally diagnostic in predicting children's reports of exposure to husbands' and wives' aggression. Finally, decisions regarding how to use parent reports as an indicator of children's exposure to marital aggression are discussed as depending on the base rate of child reports of exposure and the objective sought in classifying children and/or families.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A study of aggression among referrals to a community-based psychiatry of old age service.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to examine the prevalence of aggressive behaviour in a non-selected community-based population, to identify clinical and sociodemographic variables associated with aggression and to examine the relationship between aggression and outcome at 2-year follow-up. DESIGN: Case series, using the Ryden Aggression Scale as a retrospective measure of aggression. SETTING: A community-based specialist psychiatry of old age service. PARTICIPANTS: All referrals to the service over a 3-month period. RESULTS: Of the 42 subjects included in the study, 25-patients had a diagnosis of dementia. Aggressive behaviour was reported in 18 patients, this being verbal only in nine cases and both verbal and physical in nine cases. Sexual aggression and self-injurious behaviour were each reported in one case only. Aggression was found to be positively associated with a diagnosis of dementia and high physical dependency but was not found to be associated with age, sex, physical illness or the use of psychotropic medication. At 2-year follow-up, aggressive patients were found to have a higher rate of admission to psychiatric inpatient or residential care and tended to have a higher use of neuroleptic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that aggression is a significant problem for community-based elderly people and their carers, may increase the likelihood of admission into long-term care and that a reliable instrument to measure aggression would be useful in the clinical assessment of this population.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Octopamine and experience-dependent modulation of aggression in crickets.

Intraspecific aggression is influenced in numerous animal groups by the previous behavioral experiences of the competitors. The underlying mechanisms are, however, mostly obscure. We present evidence that a form of experience-dependent plasticity of aggression in crickets is mediated by octopamine, the invertebrate counterpart of noradrenaline. In a forced-fight paradigm, the experience of flying maximized the aggressiveness of crickets at their first encounter and accelerated the subsequent recovery of aggressiveness of the normally submissive losers, without enhancing general excitability as evaluated from the animals' startle responses to wind stimulation. This effect is transitory and concurrent with the activation of the octopaminergic system that accompanies flight. Hemocoel injections of the octopamine agonist chlordimeform (CDM) had similar effects on aggression but also enhanced startle responses. Serotonin depletion, achieved using alpha-methyl-tryptophan, enhanced startle responses without influencing aggression, indicating that the effect of CDM on aggression is not attributable to increased general excitation. Contrasting this, aggressiveness was depressed, and the effect of flying was essentially abolished, in crickets depleted of octopamine and dopamine using alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMT). CDM restored aggressiveness in AMT-treated crickets, indicating that their depressed aggressiveness is attributable to octopamine depletion rather than to dopamine depletion or nonspecific defects. Finally, the flight effect was blocked in crickets treated with the octopamine receptor antagonist epinastine, or with the alpha-adrenoceptor and octopamine receptor antagonist phentolamine, but not with the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol. The idea that activity-specific induction of the octopaminergic system underlies other forms of experience-dependent plasticity of aggressive motivation in insects is discussed.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed2001

Self-other representations and relational and overt aggression in adolescent girls and boys.

Aggressive behavior in girls has received far less attention than similar problems in boys. This study examined self-representation, and others' representation of self, as predictors of relational aggression, overt aggression, and assaultive behavior in 32 girls and 52 boys, 10 to 17 years of age, referred for assessment due to significant aggressive and delinquent behavior problems. As predicted, negativity of self-representation predicted relational aggression in girls but not boys. Negativity of self-representation also predicted overt aggression and assaultive behavior in both girls and boys. Parental representations of self were not predictive in this sample; however, negativity of peer representations of self, was associated with increased relational aggression in girls and decreased relational aggression in boys. Negativity of peer representations of self also predicted overt aggression and assaultive behavior in both girls and boys. Results suggest that the evaluation of self-other representations may be valuable in the assessment of risk for gender specific patterns of aggression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Reduction in 5-HT1A receptor density, 5-HT1A mRNA expression, and functional correlates for 5-HT1A receptors in genetically defined aggressive rats.

The present experiments tested the hypothesis that one of the critical mechanisms underlying genetically defined aggressiveness involves brain serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. 5-HT1A receptor density, the receptor mRNA expression in brain structures, and functional correlates for 5-HT1A receptors identified as 8-OH-DPAT-induced hypothermia and lower lip retraction (LLR) were studied in Norway rats bred for 59 generations for the lack of aggressiveness and for high affective aggressiveness with respect to man. Considerable differences between the highly aggressive and the nonaggressive rats were shown in all three traits. A significant decrease in B(max) of specific receptor binding of [3H]8-OH-DPAT in the frontal cortex, hypothalamus, and amygdala and a reduction in 5-HT1A receptor mRNA expression in the midbrain of aggressive rats were found. 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a distinct hypothermic reaction in nonaggressive rats and did not affect significantly the body temperature in aggressive rats. Similar differences were revealed in 8-OH-DPAT-induced LLR: LLR was expressed much more in nonaggressive than in aggressive animals. Additionally, 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) treatment significantly attenuated the aggressive response to man. The results demonstrated an association of aggressiveness with reduced 5-HT1A receptor expression and function, thereby providing support for the view favoring the idea that brain HT1A receptor contributes to the genetically defined individual differences in aggressiveness.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed1996

Verbal and physical aggression against demented elderly by informal caregivers in The Netherlands.

This study describes the extent of verbal and/or physical aggression as reported by caregivers and correlates of each type of aggression against the demented care recipient. The extent of verbal aggression alone was 30.2% and of physical aggression, 10.7%. Verbal and physical aggression were associated with sharing the same household with the care recipient, caring for a male and caring for an elderly person more severely impaired in cognitive functioning and more dependent in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Verbal aggression was also associated with proving more care, and physical aggression with caring for a spouse and more psychological complaints of the caregiver. Accordingly, physical aggression does not seem to be a mere extension of verbal aggression, and different intervention strategies may be required for verbally and physically aggressive caregivers.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Attributional styles of aggressive boys and their mothers.

To determine if mothers of aggressive boys have the same propensity as their sons to infer hostile intentions in ambiguous interpersonal situations, 50 mothers of aggressive and nonaggressive boys were each asked to interpret hypothetical situations involving themselves with their child, their partner, and a peer as well as hypothetical situations involving their child in interaction with classmates and teachers. Their sons also were each requested to interpret hypothetical situations involving themselves with their mother, a teacher, and a classmate. The results indicated that mothers of aggressive boys do share the propensity to infer hostility in ambiguous situations and may, in effect, model a hostile attributional bias. Mothers of aggressive boys failed to differentiate ambiguous from hostile situations and were as likely to infer hostile intentions in ambiguous as in hostile situations. The results also suggest a generalized tendency on the part of mothers of aggressive boys to infer negative motives and/or dispositions when accounting for the noxious behavior of their sons. Further, for the aggressive boys, the hostile attributional bias was evident with both peers and teachers. The presence of a hostile attribution was predictive of an aggressive response for the aggressive boys. Even in the face of clearly hostile, provocative behavior, nonaggressive boys were less likely to offer aggressive solutions than aggressive boys.

Aggression↗
PubMed1995

Serum cholesterol and aggression in hospitalized male forensic patients.

Human studies of the link between serum cholesterol and aggression have yielded equivocal results. Depending on the type of aggression studied (e.g., criminal violence or Type A hostility), investigators have found either a negative or a positive association between cholesterol and aggressive behavior. We conducted a retrospective analysis of aggressive incidents in a sample of hospitalized male forensic patients. The whole sample had lower cholesterol levels than the general population. Patients with low cholesterol levels (< 200 mg/dl) engaged in more frequent aggressive behavior but showed no difference in severity of aggression. They also showed no difference in verbal vs physical aggression. The relationship between cholesterol and frequency of aggression was curvilinear, with the most frequent acts of aggression committed by patients with moderately low cholesterol levels. Current research findings regarding the cholesterol-aggression association suggest the need for further clarification of the behavioral parameters under investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The effect of tryptophan depletion and enhancement on subjective and behavioural aggression in normal male subjects.

In order to investigate the link between aggression and 5-HT, we looked at effects of changes in plasma tryptophan on healthy male subjects. Twenty-four with high trait aggression (H) and 24 with low (L) drank an amino acid mixture with (T+) or without (T-) tryptophan. These caused plasma tryptophan enhancement and depletion, respectively, at 4.5 h. Group H subjects given T- became more angry, aggressive, annoyed, hostile and quarrelsome on subjective measures, whereas those given T+ responded in the opposite way. On a behavioural measure of aggression, group H subjects responded more aggressively after T- than T+. In contrast, there was no consistent effect on subjective or behavioural aggression in group L subjects. Feelings of well-being in group H were decreased by T- and increased by T+. In group L, T+ reduced feelings of well-being, possibly due to the sedative effect of tryptophan in this group, which correlated positively with plasma tryptophan concentration. Changes in plasma tryptophan are probably followed by changes in central 5-HT turnover. We conclude that, in those with pre-existing aggressive traits, acute falls in central 5-HT can cause increased subjective and objective aggression, while rises can have the opposite effect. The absence of changes in a low aggressive group suggests that the primary effect may be on impulsivity, possibly mediated by 5-HT1a receptors, expressing underlying aggressive traits. The findings on mood changes provide support for earlier reports of a lowering of mood with tryptophan depletion.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Morphine withdrawal aggression: modification with D1 and D2 receptor agonists.

Morphine withdrawal increases aggressive behaviors, induces explosive motor behaviors, and disrupts homeostatic functions in mice and rats. While many of these effects appear to result from altered dopaminergic activity during morphine withdrawal, the relative contributions of the D1 and D2 receptor subtypes remain unclear. In the present experiments, the D1 agonist SKF 38393 and the D2 agonist quinpirole were administered to male "resident" Swiss-Webster mice 5 h after the removal of a subcutaneously-implanted morphine or placebo pellet. These mice were then observed alone to determine changes in various motor activities and in confrontation with a group-housed male "intruder" to assess changes in aggressive behaviors. SKF 38393 decreased the display of aggressive behaviors by placebo and morphine-withdrawn mice without consistently altering walking or rearing. Quinpirole greatly decreased the display of aggressive behaviors by placebo mice and decreased aggressive behaviors in morphine-withdrawn mice to a lesser degree. The inhibitory effects of quinpirole were not specific to aggressive behaviors; low quinpirole doses also decreased the display of walking and rearing. In mice which received a low dose of SKF 38393 preceding quinpirole injection, pretreatment with the D1 agonist did not alter the effects of the D2 agonist quinpirole on motor activities but maintained high levels of aggression in morphine-withdrawn mice. The differential modification of aggressive and motor behaviors by selective dopaminergic agonists during morphine withdrawal further supports the suggestion that aggressive and motor behaviors are controlled independently; furthermore, D1 receptor stimulation appears to have particular relevance for the display of aggressive behaviors during morphine withdrawal.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
PubMed1999

Effects of d,l-fenfluramine on aggressive and impulsive responding in adult males with a history of conduct disorder.

RATIONALE: The role of serotonin in aggression and impulsivity was examined by administering the serotonin-releasing drug, d, l-fenfluramine and measuring effects on aggressive and impulsive responding under controlled laboratory conditions. METHODS: Ten male subjects with a history of conduct disorder and criminal behavior participated in experimental sessions, which measured aggressive and impulsive responses. Aggression was measured using the Point subtraction Aggression paradigm (PSAP), which provides subjects with an aggressive, escape and monetary reinforced response options. Impulsive responses were measured using a paradigm which provided subjects with choices between small rewards after short delays versus larger rewards have long delays. RESULTS: Acute challenge doses (0.2,0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg) of d,l-fenfluramine produced significant dose-dependent decreases in aggressive and impulsive responses. Escape and monetary reinforced responses were not significantly changed. Decreases in aggressive responses were therefore selective, because escape responses were not affected, and could not be attributed to a non-specific sedative action because monetary reinforced responses were slightly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Release of serotonin and/or reuptake blockade by d,l-fenfluramine is the possible mechanism for reductions in aggression and impulsivity. These results are consistent with a large body of data linking reduced serotonin function and aggressive behavior and impulsivity.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Acute effects of gabapentin on laboratory measures of aggressive and escape responses of adult parolees with and without a history of conduct disorder.

RATIONALE: The possible role of GABA in human aggression was evaluated by administering gabapentin to subjects with and without a history of conduct disorder and comparing the effects on laboratory measures of aggression and escape. METHODS: Eighteen male and two female subjects with a history of criminal behavior participated in experimental sessions, which measured aggressive and escape responses. Ten subjects had a history of childhood conduct disorder (CD+) and ten subjects with no history (non-CD controls). Aggression was measured using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP), which provided subjects aggressive, escape and monetary reinforced response options. RESULTS: Acute doses (200, 400 and 800 mg) of gabapentin had similar effects on aggressive responses among CD+ subjects compared to non-CD control subjects. Aggressive responses of CD+ and non-CD control subjects increased at lower gabapentin doses, and decreased at the highest 800 mg gabapentin dose. Gabapentin increased escape responses for both CD+ and non-CD controls CD- subjects at the lowest dose, but then produced dose-related decreases at the two higher doses in both groups. No changes in monetary reinforced responses were observed, indicative of no CNS stimulation or sedation. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin produced similar bitonic effects upon aggressive and escape responses in subjects with and without a history of childhood conduct disorder. This is in marked contrast to prior differential effects of baclofen on aggressive responses between CD+ and non-CD control subjects in a previous study.

Acetates↗
PubMed2001

Acute effects of D-fenfluramine on simultaneous measures of aggressive escape and impulsive responses of adult males with and without a history of conduct disorder.

RATIONALE: The role of serotonin in human aggression was evaluated by administering D-fenfluramine and comparing the effects on laboratory measures of aggression, escape and impulsivity among subjects with and without a history of conduct disorder. METHODS: Ten male subjects with a history of criminal behavior participated in experimental sessions that measured aggressive and impulsive responses. Five subjects had a history of childhood conduct disorder (CD+) and five control subjects did not. Aggression was measured using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP), which provides subjects with an aggressive, escape and monetary reinforced response options. Impulsive responses were measured using a paradigm that gives subjects choices between small rewards after short delays versus larger rewards after long delays. RESULTS: Acute doses (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) of D-fenfluramine produced significant decreases in aggressive responses in CD+ subjects and large decreases in escape responses for CD+ subjects and smaller decreases for control subjects. Impulsive responses were decreased slightly and monetary reinforced responses were not changed in either group. Decreases in aggressive responses were not selective, since escape responses were also decreased, but such effects could not be attributed to a non-specific sedative action because monetary reinforced responses were increased and reaction times were decreased, indicative of central nervous system stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Release of serotonin by D-fenfluramine is the possible mechanism for reductions in aggressive responses. These results are consistent with a large body of data linking reduced serotonin function and aggressive behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Effects of chronic paroxetine administration on measures of aggressive and impulsive responses of adult males with a history of conduct disorder.

RATIONALE: The role of serotonin in human aggression and impulsivity was evaluated by administering paroxetine or placebo for 3 weeks and comparing the effects on laboratory measures of aggression and impulsivity among male subjects with a history of conduct disorder. METHODS: Twelve male subjects with a history of criminal behavior participated in experimental sessions, which measured aggressive and impulsive responses. Six subjects were assigned to placebo treatment and six subjects to placebo and paroxetine treatment. Aggression was measured using the point subtraction aggression paradigm (PSAP), which provides subjects with an aggressive and monetary reinforced response options. Impulsive responses were measured using a paradigm that gives subjects choices between small rewards after short delays versus larger rewards after longer delays. RESULTS: Chronic administration of paroxetine (20 mg/day) for 21 days produced significant decreases in impulsive responses. Decreases in aggressive responses were evident only at the end of paroxetine treatment. Decreases in impulsive and aggressive responses could not be attributed to a non-specific sedative action because monetary reinforced responses were not decreased as has been observed following CNS sedation. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of serotonin reuptake by paroxetine is the possible mechanism for reductions in aggressive and impulsive responses. These results support other data linking serotonin function and aggression and impulsivity.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2005

Serum cholesterol concentrations and non-physical aggression in healthy adults.

Although physical aggression in humans and other primates appears to be negatively associated with total serum cholesterol (TSC) concentrations, the relationship between other forms of aggression and TSC is less clear. A plurality of studies have reported a positive association, some have reported no association, and a minority have reported a negative association. Some authors have speculated that the variability in findings is attributable to inconsistencies in the definitions and measurement of what has often been termed "verbal" aggression. Buss and Perry have developed the Aggression Questionnaire, a theoretically-derived and empirically validated self-report measure of aggression that breaks aggression into subcomponents. One hundred and seventy-one college students and university personnel were recruited to participate in a cholesterol screening health initiative and then invited to participate in a study of mood and cholesterol. They completed a Demographic Questionnaire, and the Aggression Questionnaire. Regression analyses with age and Body Mass Index (BMI) as covariates revealed that anger, hostility, and verbal aggression significantly predicted TSC. Physical aggression did not. This finding suggests that non-physical forms of aggression may constitute a risk factor for coronary artery disease and one that may be worthy of targeting through behavioral interventions such as anger management training.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Diet-mediated inter-colonial aggression in the formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus.

In most social insects, intercolonial and interspecific aggression are expressions of territoriality. In termites, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have been extensively studied for their role in nestmate recognition and aggressive discrimination of nonnest-mates. More recently, molecular genetic techniques have made it possible to determine relatedness between colonies and to investigate the influence of genetics on aggression. In the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, however, the role of CHCs and genetic relatedness in inter-colony aggression has been ambiguous, suggesting the involvement of additional factors in nest-mate recognition. In this study we assess the range of aggression in this termite species and characterize the influence of genetic relatedness, CHC profiles and diet on aggression levels. We collected four colonies of C. formosanus, feeding either on bald cypress or birch, from three locations in Louisiana. Inter-colony aggression ranged from low to high. Differences in CHC profiles, as well as genetic distances between colonies determined by using microsatellite DNA markers, showed no significant correlation with aggression. However, termite diet (host tree) played a significant role in determining the level of aggression. Thus, two distantly related colonies, each feeding on different diets, showed high aggression that significantly diminished if they were fed on the same wood in the laboratory (spruce). Using headspace solid phase microextraction, we found three compounds from workers fed on birch that were absent in workers fed on spruce. Such diet-derived chemicals may be involved in the complex determination of nest-mate recognition in C. formosanus.

Aggression↗
PubMed1986

Effects of testosterone, estrogen, and dihydrotestosterone upon aggressive and sexual behavior of female rats.

Groups of female TMD rats were treated either with estradiol benzoate (EB), dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP), testosterone propionate (TP), EB + DHTP (EB/DHTP), or with oil. These groups of females were tested for social aggression and for masculine and feminine sexual behavior. In addition, patterns of masculine and feminine sexual responses during the aggressive encounters, were investigated. TP-treated females of the same strain were used as opponents in the tests for aggression. In accordance with previous results, EB did not activate aggression whereas TP treatment resulted in a significant increase in aggression in females. Aggressive responses were activated by adding DHTP to EB, up to levels equal to those activated by TP. Sexual responses were observed in the tests for aggression as well as in tests for sexual behavior. The results indicated that feminine and masculine sexual responses were affected significantly by hormonal treatment. Mounting behavior in the test for aggression was activated by TP and by EB/DHTP. Lordosis and proceptive responses were inhibited in these groups as compared to EB-treated females, both in tests for aggression and in tests for sexual behavior. The results are consistent with the idea that dihydrotestosterone inhibits feminine and activates masculine sexual activity. The results also indicate that EB and DHTP synergistically activate aggression.

Aggression↗
PubMed1991

Effects of selective adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists on aggressive behavior elicited by apomorphine, DL-dopa and fusaric acid in REM-sleep-deprived rats.

REM sleep deprivation (REMSD) results in behavioral changes such as the appearance of affective aggression induced by apomorphine (APO) and other dopaminergic agents. REMSD modifies dopamine-mediated behavior as well as the adrenergic receptor sensitivity. This paper evaluates the interaction between these two neurotransmission systems through changes in APO-, DL-DOPA- and fusaric acid (FA)-induced aggressive behavior in REMSD rats pretreated with phentolamine, propranolol, metaraminol, prazosin, clonidine, yohimbine, isoproterenol, butoxamine and maprotiline. Only isoproterenol reduced FA-induced aggressiveness. No specific changes in aggressiveness were noticed with other treatments and not even inhibitors of norepinephrine transmission induced aggressive behavior. It is concluded that norepinephrine had a slight inhibitory action on aggressiveness elicited by dopaminomimetic agents in REMSD rats. Beta-adrenoceptors could be responsible for this effect since only beta-selective drugs reduced aggression. As REMSD reduces beta-adrenoceptor sensitivity, only minor changes in aggressiveness could be observed. It was noted that the three drugs used to induce aggressive behavior elicited different patterns of aggression.

Aggression↗