Turnover of serotonin

• Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which is thought to inhibit aggressive behaviour low serotonin in the brain linked to aggression
• Level of serotonin activity is measured by turnover
• Animal studies

  • Higley et al study 49 rhesus monkeys.
  • Monkey with lower serotonin were more aggressive
  • Monkeys in the low serotonin condition had died from aggressive encounters
• Animals

  • Valzelli and Bernasconi, bred mice with low serotonin, isolated mice were aggressive than mice with normal turnover
• Diet manipulation studies

  • Other studies have used controlled diets to manipulate brain serotonin levels
  • Serotonin made from amino acid called tryptophan.
• Diet manipulation studies

  • Moeller et al foudn male subjects showed increased aggression 5 or 6 hours after given trytophan-free mixtures of amino acids