Abstract
Background: Several studies support the notion that disturbances in the central serotonergic
function are related to impulsive aggression. There is recent evidence from studies
on 5-HT1B knock-out mice that this specific receptor is involved in impulsive aggressive behavior.
The aim of the present study was to investigate 5-HT1B/1D receptor functioning in normal intelligent hospitalized children with oppositional
defiant disorder (ODD).
Methods: The growth hormone (GH) response to a challenge with the 5-HT1B/1D agonist sumatriptan was examined in 20 children with an ODD, of whom 13 had an attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder comorbidity, and 15 normal control subjects (NC). Blood samples for growth
hormone were collected repeatedly between 8:30 and 12:00 am. Sumatriptan was administered at 10 am. The effect of stress due to this procedure was assessed by measuring salivary cortisol.
Results: The GH response was significantly stronger in the children with ODD. After
sumatriptan injection NC children showed a significant increase in cortisol; no such
pattern was present in the ODD group.
Conclusions: The results suggest that the postsynaptic 5-HT1B/1D receptor is functionally more sensitive in children with ODD.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 22,
2001
Received in revised form:
June 15,
2001
Received:
March 12,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
