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The Vasopressin V1A Receptor and Aggression

Challenges and potential novel treatments

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Anger, Aggression, and Violence

  • 103 Accesses

Abstract

Despite the high prevalence of abnormal aggressive behavior across numerous psychological disorders, there is a lack of targeted and efficacious therapeutics. This book chapter examines the translational potential of the vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of pathological aggression. We aim to synthesize the literature to provide an overview of the circumstances under which an agonist or antagonist of the V1aR might be expected to decrease aggression. Specifically, we examine the impact of increased compared to decreased V1aR activity on aggressive behavior, with a particular focus on unraveling the key factors which might influence the effects of the V1aR on aggressive behavior, such as the type and context of aggression. We identify that, in addition to previously identified factors, whether the aggression being examined is normal or abnormal appears to play a key role in moderating the effect of brain-wide V1aR activation on aggression. Specifically, agonism of the V1aR appears to either increase or have no effect on normal non-maternal aggression, whereas it tends to inhibit abnormal non-maternal aggression. It is possible that changes in V1aR circuits in the context of abnormal aggression render the net impact of brain-wide activation of V1aR on abnormal aggression inhibitory. We discuss the future research that is required to explore these factors further and the key challenges that need to be overcome to facilitate drug discovery and clinical translation.

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Abbreviations

ADHD:

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

AH:

Anterior hypothalamus

ASD:

Autism spectrum disorder

AVP:

Arginine vasopressin

BNST:

Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

BOLD:

Blood oxygen level dependent

CeA:

Central amygdala

CNS:

Central nervous system

CSF:

Cerebral spinal fluid

DG:

Dentate gyrus

DRN:

Doral raphe nuclei

HAA:

Hypothalamic attack area

HAB:

High anxiety behavior

ICV:

Intracerebroventricular

IED:

Intermittent explosive disorder

IP:

Intraperitoneal

LAB:

Low anxiety behavior

LH:

Lateral hypothalamus

LS:

Lateral septum

mPOA:

Medial preoptic area

NAB:

Not selectively bred for anxiety behavior

OXT:

Oxytocin

OXTR:

Oxytocin receptor

SC:

Subcutaneous

SON:

Supraoptic nucleus

V1aR:

Vasopressin V1a receptor

V1bR:

Vasopressin V1b receptor

V2R:

Vasopressin V2 receptor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Oliver Tan & Michael T. Bowen

  2. The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Oliver Tan & Michael T. Bowen

Authors
  1. Oliver Tan
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  2. Michael T. Bowen
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Correspondence to Michael T. Bowen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Clinical and Applied Health Research, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Colin Martin

  2. King's College London, London, UK

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood B. Patel

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Tan, O., Bowen, M.T. (2023). The Vasopressin V1A Receptor and Aggression. In: Martin, C., Preedy, V.R., Patel, V.B. (eds) Handbook of Anger, Aggression, and Violence. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98711-4_90-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98711-4_90-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-98711-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-98711-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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