Lactate-induced rage and panic in a select group of subjects who perpetrate acts of domestic violence

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) Vol. 47; no. 9; pp. 804 - 812
• Main Authors: George, David T, Hibbeln, Joseph R, Ragan, Paul W, Umhau, John C, Phillips, Monte J, Doty, Linda, Hommer, Daniel, Rawlings, Robert R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-05-2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Alcoholism - psychology; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Domestic violence; Domestic Violence - psychology; Double-Blind Method; Female; Heart Rate - drug effects; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; lactate; Lactic Acid - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; panic; Panic - drug effects; Panic disorder; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; rage; Rage - drug effects; Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency; Socioeconomic Factors; Videotape Recording; rage; Domestic violence; lactate; panic; Human; Panic; Intravenous administration; Violence; Anxiety disorder; Family environment; Mental disorder; Adult; Experimental study; Social behavior disorder; Biological activity
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3223(99)00300-5

Background: Perpetrators of domestic violence frequently report symptoms of autonomic arousal and a sense of fear and/or loss of control at the time of the violence. Since many of these symptoms are also associated with panic attacks, we hypothesized that perpetrators of domestic violence and patients with panic attacks may share similar exaggerated fear-related behaviors. To test this hypothesis, we employed the panicogenic agent sodium lactate to examine the response of perpetrators to anxiety/fear induced by a chemical agent.
Methods: Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, we infused 0.5 mol/L sodium lactate or placebo over 20 min on separate days to a select group of subjects who perpetrate acts of domestic violence and two nonviolent comparison groups. We compared their behavioral, neuroendocrine, and physiologic responses.
Results: Lactate administration elicited intense emotional responses in the perpetrators of domestic violence. Perpetrators evidenced more lactate-induced rage and panic and showed greater changes in speech, breathing, and motor activity than did nonviolent control subjects. There were no significant differences between the groups for any neuroendocrine or physiologic measure.
Conclusions: These results are consistent with our hypothesis that some perpetrators of domestic violence have exaggerated fear-related behavioral responses.