Neurohumoral Status and Aggression

Aggression is significant problem of modern society. We believe that the genetically determined features of neurohumoral status provide the predisposition of organism to impulsive or controlled aggression in humans (to spontaneous and adaptive aggression in animals). The purpose of our work was the research of hormones of gonadal, hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA), thyroid axes in blood and monoamine contents in frontal cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum of rat males with dominant, submissive and balanced types of behavior. The dependence of male behavior type on testosterone level was revealed. Hyperactivity of HPA system was found in submissive animals.The presence of tight negative correlation between testosterone level and HPA axis hormones was shown in males independently of age and behavior type. The decrease of serotonin (5-HT) content in all investigated brain regions in submissive males, increased noradrenaline (NA) level in submissive males and decreased NA level in dominant ones were observed. The significant increase of both NA/5-HT and NA/DA was observed in submissive rats. The significant decrease of NA/5-HT ratio was revealed in dominant rats.