Serotonergic System and Violent Video Games

Aggressive behavior (AB) is a major burden to society with severe socio-economic consequences. Genetic studies suggest a high heritability of AB; in particular, the low expressing allele of the MAOA gene (MAOA-L) has been associated with increased AB. Recent neural aggression models have suggested a dysfunctional emotion regulation circuit including amygdala, orbitofrontal, and anterior cingulate cortex. Dysregulated serotonergic (5-HT) projections from the anterior cingulate cortex to the amygdala have been suggested to promote aggressive behavior. This finding is well in line with the observation that the MAOA-L allele leads to a reduced expression of monoamine oxidase A and thus to an overflow of 5-HT in serotonergic cortico-amygdalar projections. However, due to methodological and ethical constraints, the neural substrates of AB are difficult to assess. A possible solution is the use of virtual violence which permits AB against virtual characters without direct consequences for any real person and can be easily applied in functional imaging experiments. There is evidence that virtual and real aggression share common neural substrates. AB in violent video games inhibits rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala in line with the suggested neurophysiological circuits underlying real-life AB.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Aachen

Aachen, 52074, Germany

About this study

Our study plan comprises the assessment of brain activation patterns during virtual AB in a violent video game with functional magnetic resonance imaging under three experimental conditions in randomized, double-blind fashion:

Increase of synaptic 5-HT with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI, Cipralex ®);
reduction of synaptic 5-HT with the Rapid Tryptophan Depletion Test (RTD); and 3) Placebo.

A blood sample genotyping will assess the allelic expression of the MAOA gene. We hypothesize

a modification of the ACC-amygdala system by the serotonergic intervention and
an interaction with the genotype concerning the MAOA gene. The results of this study will give valuable insights into the neurogenetic biology underlying aggression which will open new perspectives for therapeutical and pharmacological intervention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

male
age 18-60 (adults), age 12-17 (juveniles)
right-handedness
German native language

Exclusion criteria

any contraindications against MR investigations
any contraindications against application of SSRIs
any history of neurological or psychiatric illness
history of drug abuse
history of psychopharmacological therapy

Treatment and study plan

Cipralex

Drug

one time 10 mg, tablet

Primary outcomes

functional neuroimaging

Time frame: 1 day

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

RWTH Aachen University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Genetic-pharmacological Neuroimaging of the Serotonergic System in Violent Video Games

Acronym: Serogen

Important dates

Study start: 2012
Primary completion: 2014
Study completion: 2014
First posted: Jul 18, 2012
Registry last updated: Sep 29, 2015

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed