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Serotonin function and antiaggressive response to fluoxetine: a pilot study.

E F Coccaro·R J Kavoussi·R L Hauger
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The reported inverse relationship between indices of central serotonin (5-HT) function and indices of impulsive aggression in human subjects suggests the possibility that enhancement of 5-HT activity will reduce impulsive aggressive behavior. Although evidence for this hypothesis is emerging, the relationship between baseline central 5-HT system function and antiaggressive responses to treatment with 5-HT agents has not yet been examined in human subjects. METHODS: In this pilot study, we examined the relationship between: a) pretreatment prolactin responses to d-fenfluramine (PRL[d-FEN]) challenge; and b) antiaggressive responses to 12 weeks of treatment with either fluoxetine or placebo in 15 impulsively aggressive personality disordered subjects as observed in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. RESULTS: Among all subjects there were positive correlations between the pretreatment PRL[d-FEN] response and the percent improvement in Overt Aggression Scale-Modified scores for "Aggression" and "Irritability." These correlations were present in the fluoxetine (n = 10), but not in the placebo (n = 5), treated subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the possibility that the antiaggressive response to fluoxetine is directly, rather than inversely, dependent on the responsiveness of central 5-HT synapses in the brain of impulsive aggressive personality disordered subjects.

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AdolescentAdolescent BehaviorAdultAggressionDouble-Blind MethodFenfluramineFluoxetineHumansMaleMood DisordersPersonality DisordersPilot ProjectsPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesSerotoninSelective Serotonin Reuptake InhibitorsClinical TrialJournal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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E F Coccaro, R J Kavoussi, R L Hauger. 1997-10-01. Serotonin function and antiaggressive response to fluoxetine: a pilot study.. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(97)00309-0

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