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Heart Rate Response to Alcohol and Intoxicated Aggressive Behavior
Author(s) -
Assaad JeanMarc,
Pihl Robert O.,
Séguin Jean R.,
Nagin Daniel,
Vitaro Frank,
Tremblay Richard E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00090.x
Subject(s) - aggression , alcohol , heart rate , psychology , alcohol intoxication , poison control , injury prevention , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , medical emergency , blood pressure , chemistry , biochemistry
Background: This study examined the elevated heart rate (HR) response to alcohol intoxication, thought to reflect an increased sensitivity to alcohol‐induced reward, as a potential factor in the increased likelihood of alcohol‐induced aggression. Methods: Three groups, intoxicated high ( n =37) and low ( n =37) HR responders and sober controls ( n =73), participated in a laboratory measure of physical aggression, the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Results: Results revealed that intoxicated high HR responders were more aggressive than the intoxicated low HR responders and sober controls. Conclusions: These findings are interpreted within a hypothetical model relating increased alcohol‐induced aggression to a dysregulation in the motivational system responding to rewards.