Authors:

LAWRENCE, A.D., CALDER, A.J., McGowan, S.M.& Grasby, P.M.

Reference:

Year of publication:

2002

CBU number:

5155

Abstract:

Appetitive aggression occurs in the context of resource/dominance disputes in a wide variety of species. Hence, the possibility arises that a specific neural system may have evolved to detect and coordinate responses to this specific form of challenge or threat. The dopamine system has been implicated in the processing of signals of aggression in social-agonistic encounters in several species. Here, we report that dopaminergic antagonism in healthy male volunteers, following acute administration of the dopamine D2-class receptor antagonist sulpiride, leads to a selective disruption in the recognition of facial expressions of anger (signals of appetitive aggression in humans), but leaves intact recognition of other emotions and the matching of unfamiliar faces.