SOME young men may be aggressive because they have a reduced ability to produce a hormone that restrains violent behaviour in stressful situations.
at the University of Cambridge and his colleagues pitted young, male volunteers against virtual rivals in a provocative, stressful and frustrating video game that carried a monetary prize.
As expected, levels of the stress hormone cortisol rose in control volunteers. But in boys with 鈥渃onduct disorder鈥� 鈥� characterised by verbal and physical aggression and cruelty 鈥� levels of cortisol actually fell (Biological Psychiatry, ). The levels were similar to those of unstressed boys, says Fairchild.
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He says that in most people, cortisol acts as a kind of chemical brake that restrains violent and inconsiderate behaviour, and that some types of violence are facilitated by a lack of the hormone. Drugs that stimulate cortisol might one day curb aggression in some situations.
鈥淒rugs that stimulate cortisol might one day curb aggressive behaviour鈥�
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