A serenic, or anti-aggressive drug, is a type of drug which reduces the capacity for aggression.
Examples
Serotonergic agents
The recreational drug
MDMA ("ecstasy") and a variety of related drugs have been described as
empathogen-entactogens, or simply as
entactogens.
These agents possess serenic and
empathy-increasing properties in addition to their
euphoriant effects, and have been associated with increased sociability, friendliness, and feelings of closeness to others as well as emotional empathy and prosocial behavior.
The entactogenic effects of these drugs are thought to be related to their ability to temporarily increase the levels of certain brain chemicals, including
serotonin,
, and, particularly,
oxytocin.
Certain other Serotonin drugs, such as 5-HT1A receptor agonists, also increase oxytocin levels and may possess serenic properties as well.
The serotonin 5-HT2C receptor agonist lorcaserin has been found to reduce impulsive aggression in people with intermittent explosive disorder (IED).
The serotonergic psychedelics DOB and DOI, which act as serotonin 5-HT2 receptor agonists, show antiaggressive effects in rodents.
Antidopaminergic agents
, which are
dopamine D
2 receptor antagonists, are well-known as reducing aggression in humans and have been clinically employed for this purpose.
is under development for the treatment of
impulsivity aggression in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Anticonvulsants and mood stabilizers
Certain
and
, including
valproic acid/divalproex sodium,
carbamazepine,
oxcarbazepine,
phenytoin,
lamotrigine,
topiramate, and lithium, have been found to be effective in the treatment of
aggression.
Certain others, including
gabapentin and
tiagabine, may also have antiaggressive effects.
Conversely,
levetiracetam has been found to be ineffective.
Although anticonvulsants have been found to be effective for treating aggression, it has been reported that many of the same drugs might also produce
anger, aggression, and
irritability in people with
epilepsy.
Beta blockers
, or β-adrenergic receptor antagonists, have been used to treat
aggression and agitation.
Beta blockers that have been used for such purposes include
propranolol,
pindolol, and
nadolol.
Psychostimulants
like
methylphenidate and amphetamines as well as the atypical antipsychotic risperidone are useful in reducing aggression and oppositionality in children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), antisocial personality disorder, and autism spectrum disorder with moderate to large
and greater effectiveness than other studied medications.
Another meta-analysis found that methylphenidate slightly reduced
irritability while amphetamines increased the risk of irritability several-fold in children with ADHD however.
Other research has found no impact of
amphetamine or
methamphetamine on aggression in humans.
Cholinergic agents
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors within the CNS, specifically α
7 homopentameric receptors, are implicated in the regulation of aggression. The serenic effect of nicotine is well documented both in laboratory animals and humans, and, conversely, nicotinic receptor antagonists and nicotine withdrawal are associated with irritability and aggression.
Additionally, nicotinic receptors are required for
rabies virus entry into a neuron, and the dysfunction of these neurons is implicated in the rabies-associated aggression.
Cannabinoids
like
nabilone have been studied and reported effective for management of severe aggression in people with profound
autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Hormonal and related agents
Agonists and antagonists of the receptors for the
endogenous oxytocin and
vasopressin, respectively, have been shown to decrease aggressive behavior in scientific research, implicating them in the normal regulation of pathways involving aggressive behavior in the brain.
oxytocin-like drugs like KNX-100 have been found to produce antiaggressive effects in animals.
Certain
, such as
allopregnanolone, also appear to play a role in the regulation of aggression, including, notably, sexually-dimorphic aggressive behavior.
The
testosterone and
estradiol regulate aggression as well.
See also
-
Acne § Medication therapy
-
List of investigational aggression drugs
-
List of investigational agitation drugs
