Brain hormone may induce anti-social behavior in teens

London, October 1: A new research claims to have found a breakthrough link to antisocial behavior. Until now, it has been thought that parental history of antisocial behaviors, absence of good parenting skills and chaotic and unstable homes are the high-risk factors that induce aggressive anti-social conduct in men.

But, the new study carried out by researchers at Cambridge University suggests a brain hormone could be responsible for making teenage boys more disruptive. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, the novel study found a clear link between levels of 'stress hormone,' cortisol, and anti-social behavior.

Cortisol that usually surges at times of stressful situations is originally thought to help people curb their temper and any violent impulses. But, the new research suggests that in disruptive youths, levels of the hormone tend not to increase when they are put in a frustrating situation or aggressive environment. The stress hormone cortisol makes people focus more, behave more cautiously and regulate their temper and violence.

To reach their findings lead researchers Dr Graeme Fairchild and Professor Ian Goodyer recruited 165 boys, aged 14 to 18 years, from schools, pupildefine referral units, and the Youth Offending Service.

Of the study subjects, 70 boys were diagnosed with conduct problems and 95 with no history of behavioral problems or psychiatric disorders. All the participants were asked to play a time-bounded computer game. And, as they played, the pre-recorded, unseen opponent always failed to cooperate and flashed critical messages on their screens.

"The game was rigged to be impossible. The whole point is to make them feel angry and annoyed, and as if they were being socially evaluated," Dr Fairchild said.

After testing the participants’ salivadefine samples, taken before and after the assigned game playing activity for cortisol, the researchers found that levels of the hormone increased under stress in the boys without behavioral problems, while its levels decreased in those with histories of severe antisocial behavior.

The scientists said their findings suggest that antisocial behavior may be more biologically-based than previously considered, and can help design new treatments for severe behavior problems.

“We may also be able to create targeted interventions for those at higher risk. A possible treatment for this disorder offers the chance to improve the lives of both the adolescents who are afflicted and the communities in which they live," the researchers concluded.

Antisocial behaviors are disruptive acts characterized by covert and overt hostility and intentional aggression toward others. The overt form of antisocial behavior involves aggressive actions against siblings, peers, parents, teachers, or other adults, such as verbal abuse, bullying and hitting, while the covert form involved aggressive actions against property, such as theft, vandalism, and fire-setting.

It has long been known that a child becomes desensitized to violence and behaves in aggressive and antisocial ways if highly exposed to media violence through television, movies, Internet sites, video games, and even cartoons.

Parental alcohol and drug abuse, use of coercive and corporal punishment, parental disruption due to divorce, death, or other separation, parental psychiatric disorders, especially maternal depressiondefine and economic distress due to poverty and unemployment are some other high-risk factors that have long been associated with an increase in antisocial behavior in children.