Adolescent males, impulsive/aggressive behavior, and alcohol abuse: Biological correlates

ABSTRACT Virkkunen and Linnoila (1992) have identified a cluster of biological and behavioral characteristics that seem to be associated with type 2 alcoholism in adult males. They have described these characteristics in terms of a “low serotonin syndrome.” The behavioral characteristics include impulsivity, aggression, violence, and antisocial personality disorder. The biological correlates consist of low levels of monoamine oxidase (MAO), low CSF levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and reactive hypoglycemia. We attempted to establish some evidence of a “low serotonin syndrome” in adjudicated male adolescents. We compared a group of adjudicated male adolescents with a control group of middle school students on measures of glucose nadir and urinary 5-HIAA. We found that in response to the glucose tolerance test (GTT), the adjudicated participants had significantly lower blood levels of glucose. Urinary levels of 5-HIAA obtained from the adjudicated youths were also sign...