Reduced central serotonergic activity and low total serum cholesterol
have been related to increased aggression, violent behavior, and
suicidality. Searching for a correlation between them, we estimated
serum total cholesterol and CSF levels of the main serotonin metabolite
5-HIAA in medication free male and female subjects for whom diagnostic
lumbar puncture was performed. To eliminate age influence, we included
in the study subjects in the age range 26 to 45 years. In a group of 62
subjects (30 males), found negative after diagnostic neurological
examination, the correlation was not significant for the whole group,
but after sex stratification, a significant positive correlation was
revealed for males but not for females. These results were replicated in
a second group of 76 subjects (31 males) with clinical and laboratory
findings suggestive of multiple sclerosis (clinically isolated
syndrome). The results link low cholesterol to low serotonergic activity
only in males, predisposing them for violent and risky behaviors. This
phenomenon could be seen as an evolutionary trait, possibly a result of
the distinct role of males in a hunter-gatherer environment of
evolutionary adaptedness, and may contribute to the understanding of the
higher incidence of violent behavior observed in males. (C) 2010
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
