drugs that decrease "serotonergic tone" {i.e., decreasing serotonin levels or sensitivity to serotonin} increase impulsive aggression; raising the tone does the opposite. This generates some simple predictions-all of the following should be associated with impulsive aggression, as they will produce low serotonin signaling: a. Low-activity variants of the gene for tryptophan hydroxylase {TH}, which makes serotonin b. High-activity variants of the gene for monoamine oxidase-A {MAO-A}, which degrades serotonin c. High-activity variants of the gene for the serotonin transporter {5HTT}, which removes serotonin from the synapse d. Variants of genes for serotonin receptors that are less sensitive to serotonin
( Robert M. Sapolsky )
[ Behave: The Biology of Humans ]
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