Abstract
The possible involvement of serotonin receptors of the 5HT2 type in aggressive behavior was studied in juvenile delinquents. A group of 28 delinquent adolescents (13–18 years old) who had committed violent crimes was compared with a group of age matched controls. Subjects were drug and medication free during the study. 5HT2 receptors were labeled on platelet membranes using tritiated ketanserin. Receptor binding in the delinquent adolescents was significantly lower than in age matched controls. Mean ± SD of 76 controls was 32.3±14.2 fm/mg, compared to 16.6±8.2 fm/mg in 28 delinquents (P<0.002, Student'st-test). These results support a role for serotonin in general and 5HT2 receptors in particular in human aggressive behavior.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association (1986) Diagnostic and statistical manual, 3rd edition, revised
Apter A, Omvaschel H, Moses T, Tiano S (1989) Psychometric properties of the K-SADS in an Isareli adolescent psychiatric population. Am Acad Child Psychiatr 28:61–65
Arora PC, Melzer HY (1989) Increased serotonin (5HT2) receptor binding as measured by3H-LSD in the blood platelets of depressed patients. Life Sci 44:725–734
Beck AT, Ward CH, Mendelson N, Mock YE, Erbagh J (1961) An inventroy for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 4:561–585
Biegon A, Greuner N (1992) Age related changes in serotonin 5HT2 receptors on human blood platelets. Psychopharmacology 108:210–212
Biegon A, Weizman A, Karp L et al. (1987) Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding on blood platelets — a peripheral marker for depression? Life Sci 41:2485–2492
Biegon A, Grinspoon A, Blumenfeld B, Bleich A, Apter A, Mester R (1990a) Increased 5-HT2 receptor binding on blood platelets of suicidal men. Psychopharmacology 100:165–167
Biegon A, Essar N, Israeli M, Elizur A, Bruch S, Barnathan A (1990b) Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor-binding on blood-platelets as a state dependent marker in major affective disorder. Psychopharmacology 102:73–75
Brown GL, Goodwin FK (1984) Diagnostic, clinical and personality characteristics of aggressive men with low 5HIAA. Clin Neuropharmacol 7:756–757
Gross-Isseroff R, Salama D, Biegon A (1990a) Autoradiographic analysis of3H-ketanserin binding in the human brain post-mortem: effects of age. Brain Res 519:223–227
Gross-Isseroff R, Salama D, Biegon A (1990b) Autoradiographic analysis of3H-ketanserin binding in the human brain post-mortem: effects of suicide. Brain Res 507:208–215
Higley JD, Suomi SJ, Linnoila M (1990) Parallels in aggression and serotonin: Consideration of development, rearing history and sex differences. In: Van Pragg H, Plutchik R, Apter A (eds) Violence and suicidality. Bruneer-Mazel, N.Y. pp 245–256
Linnoila M, Virkkunen M, Scheinin M, Nuutila A, Rimon R, Goodwin FK (1983) Low CSF 5HIAA concentration differentiates impulsive from nonimpulsive violent behavior. Life Sci. 33:2609–2614
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AI, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Panday GN, Panday SC, Marks RC, Davis JM (1990) Platelet serotonin2 receptor binding sites in depression and suicide. Biol Psychiatry 28:215–222
Pucilowski O, Kostowski J (1980) Aggressive behavior and the central serotonergic system. Behav Brain Res 9:33–48
Silverstein FS, Johnston MV, Hutchinson RJ, Edwards NL (1985) Lesch-Nyham syndrome: CSF neurotransmitter abnormalities. Neurology 35:907–911
Stanley MM, Mann JJ (1983) Increased serotonin-2 binding sites in frontal cortex of suicide victims. Lancet I:214–216
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Blumensohn, R., Ratzoni, G., Weizman, A. et al. Reduction in serotonin 5HT2 receptor binding on platelets of delinquent adolescents. Psychopharmacology 118, 354–356 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245966
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245966