Social behaviour and mood in everyday life: the effects of tryptophan in quarrelsome individuals.
J Psychiatry Neurosci
; 31(4): 253-62, 2006 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-16862243
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
We hypothesized that increasing brain serotonin in healthy individuals with high scores on 2 self-report measures of trait quarrelsomeness would reduce quarrelsome behaviours and enhance agreeable behaviours when measured ecologically using an event-contingent recording method.METHODS:
We conducted a double-blind crossover study, in which participants took tryptophan (3 g/d) and placebo for 15 days each and recorded how they behaved, felt and perceived others during everyday social interactions.RESULTS:
Tryptophan significantly decreased quarrelsome behaviours and increased agreeable behaviours and perceptions of agreeableness. Men also behaved less dominantly, whereas both men and women perceived others as more dominant.CONCLUSION:
Tryptophan's effects on behaviours and perceptions, while more marked in the men, were generally positive and accompanied by improved affect. Increasing serotonin in quarrelsome people may not only reduce behaviours associated with a predisposition to various mental and physical disorders but also enhance socially constructive behaviours and improve social perceptions.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Social Behavior
/
Temperament
/
Tryptophan
/
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
/
Affect
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
J Psychiatry Neurosci
Journal subject:
NEUROLOGIA
/
PSIQUIATRIA
Year:
2006
Document type:
Article