Alcohol and violence and the possible role of serotonin
Abstract
Background
There is undisputed evidence linking alcohol consumption and violence and other forms of aggressive behaviour, and also linking aggression with dysfunction of the brain indolylamine serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT). Alcohol consumption also causes major disturbances in the metabolism of brain serotonin. In particular, acute alcohol intake depletes brain serotonin levels in normal (non-alcohol-dependent) subjects. On the basis of the above statements, it is suggested that, at the biological level, alcohol may induce aggressive behaviour in susceptible individuals, at least in part, by inducing a strong depletion of brain serotonin levels.
Aims
In this article, evidence supporting these interrelationships and interactions will be summarized and discussed, the alcohol-serotonin-aggression hypothesis will be reiterated, and potential intervention strategies will be proposed.
Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Journal/conference proceeding
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health
Citation
Badawy, Abdullah (2003). Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health 13 (1), pp.31-44
Collections
- Un-themed [108]
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.
-
Social Norms, Alcohol Expectancies, Parental Monitoring, Parental Perceptions And Adolescent Patterns of Alcohol Consumption In Athens And Cardiff: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
(2017)Alcohol use is widespread in many cultures and alcohol experimentation in adolescence may be construed as a ‘’normal’’ practice. However excessive adolescent alcohol consumption has potentially detrimental effects on ... -
A Qualitative Evaluation of the Perceptions of the Social Marketing of Alcohol: A Study of Cardiff Metropolitan University Undergraduate Students
(Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2014)Social marketing is all around us- 'stop smoking', 'eat healthily', 'recycle'. It’s about influencing social change through the adaption of commercial marketing theories and practices. This inductive, interpretivistic, ... -
TO DETERMINE THE WAYS IN WHICH ALCOHOL SPONSORSHIP INFLUENCES SPORT AND SPORTS ORGANISATIONS'
(Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2013)According to Skinner and Rukavina (2003) sponsorship can be referred to as a movement where buyers and sellers form a relationship amongst themselves so that both benefit. Since the year 2000, sports sponsorship has risen ...
