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Increased plasma concentrations of the 5-HT precursor amino acid tryptophan and other large neutral amino acids in violent criminals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 1997

T. ERIKSSON  and
L. LIDBERG
T. ERIKSSON
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, Göteborg University, Göteborg and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Family Medicine, Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
L. LIDBERG
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, Göteborg University, Göteborg and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Family Medicine, Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract

Background. Aggression has been suggested to be related to abnormal brain 5-HT activity. This amine is synthesized in brain from tryptophan, which is transported through the blood–brain barrier in competition with other amino acids. The relationship between tryptophan and its endogenous amino acid competitors in plasma might thus influence the availability of tryptophan in the brain and consequently brain 5-HT activity.

Methods. Plasma amino acids were determined in 89 offenders who had committed various violent and non-violent crimes and in 14 healthy controls.

Results. Both tryptophan and its competitors were higher in offenders who had committed violent crimes compared both with non-violent offenders and with controls. No difference was, however, seen in the relationship between tryptophan and its competitors.

Conclusions. The results support the contention that violent behaviour is related to biochemical deviations but could not explain a possible decreased brain 5-HT activity.

Type
Brief Report
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , March 1997 , pp. 477 - 481
Copyright
© 1997 Cambridge University Press

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