The neurobiological determinants of disruptive behaviour disorder (WC2007-041)

Background

Starting date: 01/06/2007 Persistent disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) affect an estimated 5% of all male adolescents, constituting a major society problem, because of harm to victims and subjects, and of the enormous financial impact (Junger-Tas 1994). DBD individuals face detrimental long-term consequences, e.g. academic underachievement, (mental) health problems, relationship disturbances, and criminality in adulthood. Although research has identified numerous risk factors, the accurate prediction of negative outcome remains limited. The low arousal theories explain these disorders from a neurobiological perspective; hypo-activity of the HPA-axis and it’s end product cortisol. Low arousal is thought to be related to fearlessness and/or sensation seeking, which could lead to antisocial behaviour. However, results of studies on HPA-axis activity in DBD are inconsistent, particularly in normal population studies.