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By Michael Kahn
LONDON (Reuters) - Stress hormone cortisol, involved in our "fight or flight" response, may also limit aggressive antisocial behavior, British researchers said on Wednesday.
In stressful situations cortisol levels failed to spike normally in boys with behavioral problems, the researchers found in a study which suggests that the roots of antisocial behavior may be more biologically based than thought.
"Most research has looked at social factors like peer groups, family life and socioeconomic factors," said Graeme Fairchild, a psychologist at the University of Cambridge, who led the study.
"These findings basically indicate that antisocial behavior is probably more biologically based than many people recognize and is similar to conditions like depression and anxiety."
An estimated 3 percent to 5 percent of children in the developed world exhibit antisocial behavior -- such as vandalism, mugging and starting fights -- that can get them expelled from school, in trouble with the police or even sent to jail, he said.
The study involved 100 boys from mainstream schools aged between 14 and 18 and another 75 adolescents with known antisocial behavior. Males are four times more likely than females to behave antisocially.
Full Story: Fight or flight hormone limits aggression: study | Health | Reuters
LONDON (Reuters) - Stress hormone cortisol, involved in our "fight or flight" response, may also limit aggressive antisocial behavior, British researchers said on Wednesday.
In stressful situations cortisol levels failed to spike normally in boys with behavioral problems, the researchers found in a study which suggests that the roots of antisocial behavior may be more biologically based than thought.
"Most research has looked at social factors like peer groups, family life and socioeconomic factors," said Graeme Fairchild, a psychologist at the University of Cambridge, who led the study.
"These findings basically indicate that antisocial behavior is probably more biologically based than many people recognize and is similar to conditions like depression and anxiety."
An estimated 3 percent to 5 percent of children in the developed world exhibit antisocial behavior -- such as vandalism, mugging and starting fights -- that can get them expelled from school, in trouble with the police or even sent to jail, he said.
The study involved 100 boys from mainstream schools aged between 14 and 18 and another 75 adolescents with known antisocial behavior. Males are four times more likely than females to behave antisocially.
Full Story: Fight or flight hormone limits aggression: study | Health | Reuters