Neurobiological and Psychosocial Correlates and Predictors

Project Summary for 2001-IJ-CX-0036 This study seeks to identify neuroanatomical, neurophysiological factors that may contribute to, correlate with, and possibly predict aggression and possibly substance abuse. Children and adolescents (grades 6-12) will be enrolled into either an aggressive group (100 subjects) or a grade-matched, gender-matched, and age-matched non-aggessive group (100 subjects) based on scores for their aggession and violent behavior. A control group of 50 non-aggressive siblings of subjects in the aggressive group will also be recruited. Subjects and their parents will be evaluated through interviews about development, medical history, academic performance, psychiatric status, family settings, and behavior. Demographic, social, and psychiatric information will also be collected using rating scales and well-established testing instruments. A small blood sample will be collected from the subjects to measure serctonin levels, platelets, lead levels, and imipramine binding. A urine will be collected to detect the presence of drugs. MRI brain (MR morphometric, Proton MRSI, and fMRI data) will also be collected from the subjects. All interviews and assessments will take approximately 7-8 hours to be complete over about 4 visits within 1-2 weeks. ca/ncf