Title |
Tryptophan depletion and aggressive responding in healthy males
|
---|---|
Published in |
Psychopharmacology, July 1996
|
DOI | 10.1007/bf02246343 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
F. G. Moeller, D. M. Dougherty, A. C. Swann, D. Collins, C. M. Davis, D. R. Cherek |
Abstract |
In order to study the effect of decreasing plasma tryptophan levels on aggressive responding in a controlled laboratory setting, we administered two doses (25 g and 100 g) of a tryptophan-free amino acid mixture to ten healthy male subjects after 24 h of a low tryptophan diet. Subjects were screened for current or past psychiatric, or non-psychiatric medical illness. Aggressive responding on a free-operant laboratory measure of aggression (the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm) and plasma tryptophan levels were measured before and after drinking the amino acid mixture. There was a significant increase in aggressive responding 5 h after the 100 g mixture and a significant increase in aggressive responding 6 h after the 25 g mixture compared to a baseline day when no drink was administered. There was also a significant decrease in plasma tryptophan at 5 hours after ingestion compared to baseline for both doses of amino acid mixture. This study supports the hypothesis that tryptophan depletion increases aggressive responding in healthy males in a laboratory setting, probably by decreasing brain serotonin. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 41 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Ph. D. Student | 10 | 24% |
Researcher | 7 | 17% |
Student > Bachelor | 3 | 7% |
Other | 3 | 7% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 2 | 5% |
Other | 5 | 12% |
Unknown | 11 | 27% |
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Other | 4 | 10% |
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