This document discusses the relationship between hormones like cortisol and dopamine, and aggressive behavior in children and adolescents. It summarizes several studies that found associations between low cortisol levels and higher aggression. Specifically, it notes that low cortisol, especially in response to stress, has been linked to proactive/premeditated aggression. Low dopamine levels have also been associated with aggression. The document concludes that monitoring these hormone levels could help diagnose the causes of aggression and inform psychological screenings.

1. Gustavo A. Martínez-Muñiz
BIOL 3095

2.  Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis: links
the central nervous system to the peripheral
response system. Also, it produces cortisol and
dopamine.
 Cortisol & Dopamine: hormones involved in the
nervous system’s response to stimuli and stress.
Varying levels affect a person’s behavior, either
hightening or lowering aggression.
 Pathologic pediatric aggression: condition in
which a minor cannot control his or her behavior
and responds in a certain type of aggression

3. Verbal Aggression Physical Aggression
 A person will attack  Reactive & Impulsive:
another person with normally in response to
words in order to affect stressful stimuli or
their psyche and/or provoked
emotions.  Predatory &
 A person will affect Premeditated: type of
his/her own psyche aggression in which the
and/or emotions by aggressor planned the
using his words in attack beforehand
personal attacks.  Physical aggression can
also occur when the
person causes physical
damage in various ways.

6.  In
a study made with adolescents, flattered
diurnal cortisol profile, or low levels of
cortisol in the system can be weakly
associated to aggressive behavior. (Van den
Bergh et al. 2008)
 Whereas in a study that took place with a
large group of young children shows that
proactive (premeditated) aggressive behavior
can be linked to low levels of cortisol after
stressful situations. (Lopez-Duran et al.
2009)

7.  According to a recent Dopamine levels
review, low cortisol in in the HPA axis
the HPA axis is
associated with Low profiles of
aggressive behavior. a dopamine
 Pre-pubertal children metabolite called
would have low cortisol homovanillic acid
levels when exposed to in children with
comorbid ADHD
stress-inducing and aggressive
situations. behavior are
 It is also involved in similar to the
early development of profiles of adult
aggression in young men convicted of
murder.
males. (Barzman et al.
 (Barzman et al. 2010) 2010)

8.  “Youth with internalizing behaviors have higher morning
cortisol levels” – Ruttle et al. (2011)
 In the other hand, youth with external behavior show
lower levels of morning cortisol.
 Children with lower cortisol profiles are observed to
have flattened cortisol profiles throughout adolescence.
 This flattened profile of hormones tends to be
persistent and gives place to more aggressive behaviors
 (Ruttle et al. 2011)

9.  Children with aggressive behaviors are more
prone to antisocial behavior and abnormal
behavior such as: drug and alcohol abuse,
problems at home, and/or problematic
friendships.
 A survey in Washington, USA, and Victoria,
Australia shows that boys are more capable
of predatory aggression and behavior.
 This would be a factor in behavioral changes
of the aggressive child or adolescent
(Hemphill et al. 2010).

10.  Cortisol and dopamine are two hormones that
should be closely observed when involving
aggressive behavior.
 Diagnostics of psychiatric disorders may be
centered on the measurement of these hormones
in order to indicate the source of aggression.
 Psychological screenings are also important to
cross with these hormone measurements in order
to see social behavior of the potential patient.
 Future works would involve measurement of both
hormone profiles at the same time in order to
associate with aggression

11.  When growing up, children with low cortisol
profiles will develop a flattened cortiisol
profile.
 This gives place to aggressive behavior
throughout adolescence and possibly
adulthood.

12.  Barzman DH, Patel A, Sonnier L, Strawn JR. 2010. Neuroendocrine
aspects of pediatric aggression: Can hormone measures be
clinically useful?. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
2010:6 691 – 697
 Hemphill SA, Kotevski A, Herrenkohl, Toumbourou JW, Carlin JB,
Catalano RF, Patton GC. 2010. Pubertal stage and the prevalence
of violence and social relational aggression. Pediatrics. 2010
August ; 126(2): e298–e305. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0574.
 Lopez-Duran NL, Olson SL, Hajal NJ, Felt BT, Vázquez DM. 2009.
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis Functioning in Reactive and
Proactive Aggression in Children. J Abnorm Child Psychol (2009)
37:169–182
DOI 10.1007/s10802-008-9263-3.
 Van den Bergh BRH, Van Calster B, Pinna Puissant S, Van Huffel S.
2008. Self-reported symptoms of depressed mood, trait anxiety,
and aggressive behavior in post-pubertal adolescents:
Association with diurnal cortisol profiles. Hormones and Behavior
54 (2008) 258-257

13.  Ruttle P, Shirtcliff E, Serbin L, Fisher D, Stack D, Schwartzman A.
Disentangling psychobiological mechanisms underlying
internalizing and externalizing behaviors in youth: Longitudinal
and concurrent associations with cortisol. Horm Behav. 2011
January ; 59(1): 123–132. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.10.015.