An fMRI Study on the Role of Serotonin in Reactive Aggression

Krämer, Ulrike M.; Riba, Jordi; Richter, Sylvia; Münte, Thomas F.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027668

Cited by 56 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The link between inter-individual levels of provocationinduced striatal and amygdala reactivity and the expression of aggressive behavior triggered by provocation further corroborates the role of the ventral striatum (Krämer et al, 2011;Beyer et al, 2014) and the amygdala in human reactive aggression (Coccaro et al, 2007). Thus inter-individual differences in provocation-induced ventral striatal and amygdala reactivity might be crucial for an individual disposition to express reactive aggression.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Moreover, alcohol might exert its effects on aggression by increasing dopamine levels in the ventral striatum (Dichiara and Imperato, 1986;Boileau et al, 2003;Heinz et al, 2011), a potential neural mechanism underlying experimentally induced aggression in animals (Miczek et al, 2002;Ferrari et al, 2003;Nelson and Trainor, 2007) and humans (Krämer et al, 2011;Beyer et al, 2014). Using fMRI, alcohol-induced increased dopamine levels might be reflected by increased activation of the ventral striatum in humans (cf, Gilman et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Alcohol-Induced Aggression Under Provocation

Gan

Sterzer

Marxen

et al. 2015

Neuropsychopharmacol

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Although alcohol consumption is linked to increased aggression, its neural correlates have not directly been studied in humans so far. Based on a comprehensive neurobiological model of alcohol-induced aggression, we hypothesized that alcohol-induced aggression would go along with increased amygdala and ventral striatum reactivity and impaired functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) under alcohol. We measured neural and behavioral correlates of alcohol-induced aggression in a provoking vs non-provoking condition with a variant of the Taylor aggression paradigm (TAP) allowing to differentiate between reactive (provoked) and proactive (unprovoked) aggression. In a placebo-controlled cross-over design with moderate alcohol intoxication (~0.6 g/kg), 35 young healthy adults performed the TAP during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Analyses revealed that provoking vs non-provoking conditions and alcohol vs placebo increased aggression and decreased brain responses in the anterior cingulate cortex/dorso-medial PFC (provokingonon-provoking) and the ventral striatum (alcoholoplacebo) across our healthy sample. Interestingly, alcohol specifically increased proactive (unprovoked) but not reactive (provoked) aggression (alcohol × provocation interaction). However, investigation of inter-individual differences revealed (1) that pronounced alcohol-induced proactive aggression was linked to higher levels of aggression under placebo, and (2) that pronounced alcohol-induced reactive aggression was related to increased amygdala and ventral striatum reactivity under alcohol, providing evidence for their role in human alcohol-induced reactive aggression. Our findings suggest that in healthy young adults a liability for alcohol-induced aggression in a non-provoking context might depend on overall high levels of aggression, but on alcohol-induced increased striatal and amygdala reactivity when triggered by provocation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Alcohol-Induced Aggression Under Provocation

Gan

Sterzer

Marxen

et al. 2015

Neuropsychopharmacol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Their regional analysis was inconclusive, however, with regard to areas of activation and deactivation during the study. The absence of neuroanatomical differences between groups in this study may similarly be related to overly broad inclusion criteria into groups (i.e., they selected for patients with aggression or without aggression as opposed to more refined criteria such as impulsive aggression or impulsive aggression without callous unemotional traits) (35).…”

Section: Functional Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2011, Kramer et al (35) did an fMRI study combining both tryptophan depletion and a competitive game paradigm in male subjects with or without trait aggression. Consistent with previous tryptophan depletion tasks, they found that tryptophan depletion increased aggression in low trait aggression individuals but not in high trait aggression individuals.…”

Section: Functional Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of serotonin in impulsive aggression, suicide, and homicide in adolescents and adults: a literature review

Glick

2015

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health

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This is a literature review discussing previous studies on the associations between impulsive aggression and the serotonergic system in adults, adolescents, and children. The review demonstrates that there is a clear association between low cerebrospinal fluid serotonin and impulsive aggression. However, studies on neurotransmitter receptor profiles, functional imaging, genetics, and epigenetics reviewed in this article suggest a more complicated picture that includes consideration of gene vs. environment in the evaluation of risk. Serotonin supplementation studies suggest that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may reduce impulsive aggression in some adults but are less effective in adults with pathological aggression and also in children and adolescents. Child and adolescent studies are less conclusive, in part due to the heterogeneous physiologic and psychosocial changes occurring over the course of development. The author thus concludes that psychiatrists can reduce risk in these special patient populations by creating safer environments in the form of changes in policy and increased support services.

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“…Computers have also been used to assess the role of serotonin in regulating aggression (Krämer et al, 2011) and performance on a prisoner's dilemma game (Wood et al, 2006), an ultimatum game (Crockett et al, 2008), or a multiplayer harvesting game (Bilderbeck et al, 2014). Accepting fair offers and cooperating in the prisoner's dilemma were both suggested to indicate motivation to engage in positive social interaction (Crockett et al, 2013;Wood et al, 2006).…”

Section: Computer Tasks Used To Date Have Limited Ecological Validitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Studying the neurobiology of human social interaction: Making the case for ecological validity

Hogenelst

Schoevers

Rot

2015

Social Neuroscience

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With this commentary we make the case for an increased focus on the ecological validity of the measures used to assess aspects of human social functioning. Impairments in social functioning are seen in many types of psychopathology, negatively affecting the lives of psychiatric patients and those around them. Yet the neurobiology underlying abnormal social interaction remains unclear. As an example of human social neuroscience research with relevance to biological psychiatry and clinical psychopharmacology, this commentary discusses published experimental studies involving manipulation of the human brain serotonin system that included assessments of social behavior. To date, these studies have mostly been laboratory-based and included computer tasks, observations by others, or single-administration self-report measures. Most laboratory measures used so far inform about the role of serotonin in aspects of social interaction, but the relevance for real-life interaction is often unclear. Few studies have used naturalistic assessments in real life. We suggest several laboratory methods with high ecological validity as well as ecological momentary assessment, which involves intensive repeated measures in naturalistic settings. In sum, this commentary intends to stimulate experimental research on the neurobiology of human social interaction as it occurs in real life.

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An fMRI Study on the Role of Serotonin in Reactive Aggression

Cited by 56 publications

References 47 publications

Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Alcohol-Induced Aggression Under Provocation

Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Alcohol-Induced Aggression Under Provocation

The role of serotonin in impulsive aggression, suicide, and homicide in adolescents and adults: a literature review

Studying the neurobiology of human social interaction: Making the case for ecological validity

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