Empirical Evidence of the Effects of Amphetamine on Aggression

Abstract

The effect of methamphetamine (MA) on aggressive behavior has not been studied. However, anecdotal evidence provided by numerous judicial and clinical workers suggests a high correlation between aggressive acts and the use of drugs, most prominently stimulants such as MA. The effects of the Dand L-isomers of amphetamine on aggressive behavior have been studied in rats, mice, humans, and nonhuman primates. In this chapter we assume that the effects of MA on aggressive behavior are similar to the effects of amphetamine. This is most likely, but not necessarily the case. Speculation has been made that the potential combination of the induced psychoactive effects of amphetamines can lead to dangerous and aggressive behavior (Wright and Klee, 2001). However, there is a body of research suggesting that high doses of amphetamine essentially reduce aggressive behavior (antiaggressive effects), while lower doses may potentiate aggressive responses. Rodents and primates are frequently used as analogous models for humans in experimentation because ethical considerations preclude the use of human subjects. Further, the brain structures of these animals are similar enough to those of humans to allow us to gather a great deal of insight into the human condition by understanding the effects of drugs in nonhuman animals. It has been shown that continued and consistent amphetamine use can sometimes result in paranoia and delusions, accompanied by other latent conditions such as mood swings and depression. It is the goal of this chapter, therefore, to illustrate the relationships between amphetamine use and intraspecies aggressive behavior.