Endocrine correlates of psychopathic traits in children: a multi-system approach

描述（由申请人提供）：具有精神病特征的儿童代表了一个独特的反社会青年群体，他们从事更严重和更频繁的反社会行为。最近发展的一个理论框架表明，精神病特征可能是由两个支配性激素系统的不平衡引起的，这两个激素系统调节对惩罚和奖励的敏感性，导致无所畏惧，对惩罚不敏感，寻求奖励和侵略性。这项拟议中的研究将是第一次在精神病儿童中测试这一概念框架。由于所涉及的激素系统是高度相互关联和相互拮抗的，该研究将同时评估来自多个系统的激素，包括下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴，交感神经系统和性腺系统，以更全面地了解这些系统如何共同作用产生精神病特征。 这项研究的具体目的是评估儿童精神病与（1）静息激素水平，（2）激素对应激源的反应性，以及（3）不同激素系统之间的相互作用之间的关系。最后一个目的是评估精神病的具体特征对激素水平的影响。在11岁参与者（115名男性，115名女性）的样本中，将在涉及社交和不可控方面的压力源后的休息和时间点评估激素皮质醇、睾酮、α-淀粉酶和DHEA。儿童期精神病特征将使用反社会过程筛查设备（RELEVANCE）进行评估。大约十年的研究结果表明，儿童期精神病特征预测更严重，普遍的，以及超出其他已知预测因素和分类方法的行为问题的稳定星座（Kotler & McMahon，2005）。成人精神病存在于大约15-20%的刑事犯罪者中，并且是暴力累犯的最强预测因子之一（Skilling等人，2002年）。具有精神病特征的儿童比其他反社会青年更抗拒治疗方法。对激素的研究可能会为新的治疗方法打开大门。如果发现激素系统存在异常，则可以通过激素操作恢复适当的平衡。这种生物干预可能是提高具有精神病特征的儿童的反应能力的关键一步，以便以前失败的其他形式的治疗可能开始发挥功效。通过在一个相对年轻的年龄组中研究这些特征，我们可能能够早期干预，当这组潜在的慢性严重罪犯可能更容易接受干预时。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Children with psychopathic traits represent a distinct group of antisocial youth who engage in more severe and frequent antisocial behavior. A recently developed theoretical framework suggests that psychopathic traits may result from an imbalance in two overarching hormone systems that regulate sensitivity to punishment and reward, leading to fearlessness, insensitivity to punishment, reward-seeking, and aggression. The proposed study will be the first to test this conceptual framework in children with psychopathy. Because the hormone systems involved are highly interconnected and mutually antagonistic, the study will simultaneously assess hormones from multiple systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis, sympathetic nervous system, and gonadal system to gain a more complete understanding of how these systems may work together to produce psychopathic traits. The specific aims of the study are to assess the relationship between childhood psychopathy and (1) resting hormone levels, (2) hormone reactivity to a stressor, and (3) interactions between different hormone systems. A final aim is to assess the effect of specific features of psychopathy on hormone levels. In a sample of 11-year-old participants (115 male, 115 female), the hormones Cortisol, testosterone, alpha-amylase, and DHEA will be assessed at rest and time points following a stressor involving social and uncontrollable aspects. Childhood psychopathic traits will be assessed using the Antisocial Process Screening Device, RELEVANCE. Results from approximately a decade of research suggest that childhood psychopathic traits predict more severe, pervasive, and stable constellations of conduct problems above and beyond other known predictors and classification approaches (Kotler & McMahon, 2005). Adult psychopathy is present in approximately 15-20% of criminal offenders and is one of the strongest predictors of violent recidivism (Skilling et al., 2002). Children with psychopathic traits are more resistant to treatment approaches than other antisocial youth. The study of hormones may open doors to new possibilities for treatment. If abnormalities in hormone systems are found to exist, it may be possible to restore a proper balance via hormone manipulations. Such a biological intervention is potentially a key step in improving the responsivity of children with psychopathic traits so that other forms of treatment that have previously failed may begin to have efficacy. By studying these traits in a relatively young age group, we may be able to intervene early, when this group of potentially chronic, severe offenders may be more amenable to intervention.