Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and aggression

Although biochemical studies in antisocial children (Kruesi et al., 1990, 1992; Rogeness, Javors, & Pliszka, 1992) have not provided clear evidence of a relationship between NE or DA, on the one hand, and aggressive behavior, on the other, clinical findings have supported an involvement of these monoamines in aggressive behavior. One study (Klein et al., 1997) showed that methylphenidate, which stimulates the release of NE and DA, reduced antisocial behavior reports in children with CD independent of ADHD symptoms. Moreover, the knowledge that the reward system in the brain and DA are implicated in the neurobiology of addiction (Dackis & O’Brien, 2001) and that children with CD are at considerable risk of substance abuse (Kazdin, 1995) is consistent with an involvement of DA in the modulation of aggressive behavior in children. More research is needed to clarify the precise role of NE and DA in the instigation and regulation of aggressive behavior in children.