Urinary excretion of bufotenin (N,N-dimethyl-5-hydroxytryptamine) is increased in suspicious violent offenders: a confirmatory study.

Among violent offenders, those with paranoid personality traits tend to have higher urinary levels of bufotenin, a substance measured by mass spectrometry. In drug-free patients, bufotenin excretion was positively linked to suspiciousness and negatively linked to socialization, two strongly interdependent personality traits. In drug users, bufotenin excretion correlated positively with social desirability and negatively with irritability, but not with suspiciousness. The study found no association between bufotenin levels and violence toward family members, contrary to an earlier report. These results support the earlier finding linking bufotenin to paranoid traits in violent offenders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

We previously reported that violent offenders with paranoid symptoms or whose violent actions had been directed against family members had higher urinary levels of bufotenin than other violent offenders. In the present study, patients were evaluated with the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), and urinary levels of bufotenin were determined by mass spectrometry. In drug-free patients suspiciousness was positively correlated, and socialization was negatively correlated, with urinary bufotenin excretion. These two personality variables were strongly interdependent. In drug users, bufotenin excretion was correlated positively with social desirability and negatively with irritability, but not with suspiciousness. Bufotenin excretion was not found to be associated with violence toward family members in the present study. The results are in keeping with the earlier finding that violent offenders with paranoid personality traits have higher urinary levels of bufotenin than other violent offenders.