Serotonin and aggression in children with attention -deficit /hyperactivity disorder: A prospective follow-up study.
Item
-
Title
-
Serotonin and aggression in children with attention -deficit /hyperactivity disorder: A prospective follow-up study.
-
Identifier
-
AAI3063838
-
identifier
-
3063838
-
Creator
-
Himelstein, Jessica.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Jeffrey M. Halperin
-
Date
-
2002
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Psychology, Clinical | Biology, Neuroscience
-
Abstract
-
Considerable data indicate an association between low serotonergic (5-HT) function and aggression in animals and human adults. The relationship between 5-HT and aggression is less apparent in children. Cross sectional data in children provide some information on the effects of neurochemical, behavioral, and environmental factors on the development of aggression and lead to several compelling hypotheses. Yet, hypotheses about the relationship between childhood neurochemical, behavioral and environmental status and adolescent behavior can only be adequately tested through a prospective study.;This dissertation reevaluated a sample of children with disruptive behavior disorders who underwent extensive clinical evaluations and an assessment of central 5HT function at baseline. The participants were re-tested during a post-pubertal period of high risk for antisocial behavior to determine their behavioral status in the areas of physical aggression, antisocial behavior and substance use. It was hypothesized that aggressive children with low 5-HT function at baseline would progress to more severe aggression, whereas those aggressive children with high 5-HT would desist in their aggression. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that a significant portion of the variance in outcome not explained by early 5-HT would be accounted for by psychosocial factors, specifically, the number of children and adults in the home, familial socioeconomic status, and the degree of parental psychopathology at baseline. Finally, it was hypothesized that symptoms in the domain of overactivity would be more predictive of behavioral outcome, than would inattentive symptomatology.;Results indicated that early aggression accounted for the greatest portion of variance in adolescent behavioral outcome. Data also showed that early 5-HT function helped predict progression or reduction of aggressive behavior across time. Psychosocial factors did not make a significant contribution to adolescent behavioral outcome, beyond that accounted for by early behavior and neurochemistry. After controlling for early aggression, inattentive symptomatology, as opposed to overactivity, made a greater contribution to adolescent behavioral outcome. These findings are consistent with literature demonstrating the stability of aggression over time and the inverse relationship between 5-HT function and aggressive behavior and provide evidence for the combination of childhood aggression and attenuated 5-HT functioning as risk factors for poor outcome in adolescence.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
