חוסר איזון בין שני חומרים כימיים חשובים במוח קשור להפרעות התנהגות, כך עולה ממחקר של עבריינים התנהגותניים ועבריני מין. קבוצת חוקרים שוודים ברשות פרופ’ חנריק סודרסטורם מאוניברסיטת גוטנבורג, גילתה, כי אצל גברים אלימים, תוקפנים וברוטלים הרמות של החומצה ההומווולינית (HVA), שהיא תוצר של פירוק הדופאמין במוח, גבוהה יותר, והרמות של החומצה ההידרוקסיל אינדול אצטית(5-HIAA), שהיא תוצר של פירוק של סרוטונין במוח, נמוכות יותר מאשר באוכלוסייה הכללית.

לצורך המחקר, החוקרים מדדו ריכוז של מטבוליטים של מונומינים בנוזל חוט השידרה אצל 28 גברים צערים (עד גיל 45), אשר ביצעו עבירות אלימות או תקיפות מיניות והופנו להערכה פסיכיאטרית, לפני העמדתם לדין. בנוסף להערכה הפסיכיאטרית, כל הנבדקים עברו אבחון לפי סולם Psychopathy Checklist-Revised.

החוקרים מדווחים, שרמות גבוהות של HVA ו-5-HIAA בנוזל חוט השידרה קשורות באופן משמעותי בנוכחות תכונות פסיכופטיות, בעיקר במובן ההתנהגותי, כאשר היחס בין שני החומרים האלו מהווה מדד חשוב ביותר.

ממצא מעניין נוסף הוא שהיחס בין HVA ו-5-HIAA בנוזל חוט השידרה קשור להתנהגויות הרסניות וחסרות רסן בילדות, עורערה השערת חוקרים, ששילוב בין הפרעות בקשב (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder) ובהתנהגות (conduct disorder), בילדות ובנעורים, משמש כבסיס, כתשתית ספצפית, להתפתחות התנהגויות פסיכופטיות אצל מבוגרים במהלך חייהם.

“הנתונים שלנו מאששים את ההשערה, שאלימות ותוקפנות קשורים באופן הדוק במטאבוליזם של הדופאמין ובחוסר ויסות של הסרוטונין”, טוענים החוקרים במאמרם, אשר פורסם ב-Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, ולדעתם, “תכשירים אנטי-דופאמינרגים עם או בלי שילוב עם תכשירים חוסמי קליטה חוזרת של סרוטונין (SSRIs), או תכשירים אשר מכילים תכונות אלו בתוך תרופה אחת, עתידים להיות מועילים בטיפול בהתנהגויות פסיכופטיות, מלווים באלימות ובתוקפנות”.

הערת העורך חשיבות מחקר זה הינה קודם כל בניסיון לגלות את היסודות הביולוגיים של ההתנהגות האנושית. צבירת הנתונים המעידים על בסיס פיזיולוגי וביוכימי, כנראה כתוצאה של יסודות גנטיים ספציפיים, מקדמת את הבנת  העקרונות הקובעים את סוגי ההתנהגויות השונים. מבלי להוריד את האחריות מאלו, שתוקפים ומתפרצים כחלק מהתנהגותם הפסיכופטית, המשך מחקר מדעי לכיוון זה מוביל אותנו להיווצרות שיטות טיפוליות מודרניות, המשלבות מתן מושכל של תכשירים פסיכופרמקולוגיים ספציפיים ומודלים קוגניטיבים-התנהגותיים.

מאמר מקור:

H. Soderstrom, K. Blennow, A-K. Sjodin and A. Forsman New evidence for an association between the CSF HVA:5-HIAA ratio and psychopathic traits. Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 2003;74:918-921 למאמר

כמו כן, ברצוני למשוך תשומת לבכם לביבליוגרפיה נוספת למעונינים לדעת יותר על הנושא של הסקירה:

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