Adjudicated adolescent males: measures of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and reactive hypoglycemia

A psychological model identified as the ‘low serotonin syndrome’ has been posited to explain the associated between certain biological characteristics such as low levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and reactive hypoglycemia; and aggressive, violent, or impulsive behavior. Thirty-seven male adolescents adjudicated for violent offenses were compared with 37 middle school adolescents on the following measures: urinary 5-HIAA levels, response to the glucose tolerance test (GTT), and scores on the Impulsive Sensation Seeking (ImpSS) and Aggression-Hostility (AGG-Host) subscales of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ). The mean urinary 5-HIAA value in the adjudicated subjects was significantly lower than the 5-HIAA mean for the middle school controls. In response to the GTT, the mean blood glucose nadir recorded for the adjudicated group was also significantly lower than the glucose nadir mean obtained from the control subjects. Scores on the ImpSS subscale did not differ significantly whereas the adjudicated adolescents scored significantly higher on the Agg-Host subscale than did the control subjects.