Neurotransmitter mechanisms of paraphilic disorders

Abstract

To investigate serotonin and catecholamine levels in people with paraphilic disorders and identify correlations between transmitter dysfunction and clinical signs of paraphilic disorders. Fifteen men with paraphilic disorders were studied using clinical-psychopathological, sexological, biochemical and statistical methods. There were an increase in the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine and a decrease in the concentration of DOPAC (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) in the urine of patients with paraphilic disorders. The concentrations of serotonin and norepinephrine are correlated with obsessive disturbances. The level of DOPAC was associated with affective and dissociative disorders. The relationships between biochemical and psychopathological signs suggest a role of biological mechanisms in the organization of abnormal sexual behavior. Correlations between psychopathological phenomena and DOPAC indicate a key role of central dopamine in the pathogenesis of paraphilic disorders and disturbances of conscious regulation of behavior.