Serotonin

Question 1

What is an example of a drug that lowers serotonin levels?

Answer 1

Prozac

Question 2

What is the effect of lowering serotonin?

Answer 2

They have the unfortunate effect of depressing mood and increasing aggression in the individual

Question 3

Why is the evidence of serotonin and aggression mixed?

Answer 3

Some studies show that greater amounts of serotonin in the system increase aggression and others show the opposite effect

Question 4

Why is the exact role that serotonin plays unclear?

Answer 4

Currently it is thought to mediate an individual’s response to a situation. Activation in the brains limbic system is not controlled as much by the frontal cortex in individual’s with low serotonin. This means that individuals with low serotonin has less control over their emotional response l adding to aggression

Question 5

What did Huber et al find?

Answer 5

Increasing levels of serotonin in crayfish increases aggression. Aggression was observed in crayfish and in particular the length of time they continued fighting. The crayfish who had high serotonin levels continued to fight beyond the point at which they would normally cease. This shows that the level of aggression they were experiencing was greater or that their natural response was overridden

Question 6

Who conducted the first study to support high serotonin levels and aggression?

Answer 6

Huber et al

Question 7

Who conducted the second support to support low serotonin levels and aggression?

Answer 7

Crockett et al

Question 8

What did Crockett do and find?

Answer 8

Used the non physical situation of game playing and moral dilemmas to observe behaviour. Some had their serotonin levels reduced and some had their serotonin levels increased. The patients who had higher levels of serotonin responded to emotional moral dilemmas with increased compassion. This shows that serotonin in higher levels affects emotional response

Question 9

What is a strength of serotonin and aggression?

Answer 9

Davidson et al compared violent criminals to non violent ones and found lower levels of serotonin in the violent criminals suggesting that aggressive acts may be due to low serotonin levels

Question 10

What are four limitations of serotonin and aggression?

Answer 10

• animal research
• it’s a deterministic approach
• it’s reductionist
• low serotonin doesn’t just lead to aggression it can cause other behaviours too a ch as depression, alcohol abuse and suicide