Levoamphetamine and Dextroamphetamine: Differential Effect on Aggression and Hyperkinesis in Children and Dogs

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date

1973

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

American Psychiatric Publishing

Research Projects

Organizational Units

Journal Issue

Abstract

In laboratory experiments with hyperkinetic, untrainable dogs and in a comparison of levoamphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and placebo in children, levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine were found to be approximately equal in calming an aggressive, hostile dog and in benefiting "unsocialized-aggressive" children; dextroamphetamine was more effective than levoamphetamine in calming "nervousness" and hyperactivity in dogs and in overanxious-hyperkinetic children. These data suggest that in the hyperkinetic syndrome, aggression and hostility may be benefited equally by levoamphetamine or dextroamphetamine via a dopaminergic mechanism, while anxiety and overactivity may be benefited significantly only by the dextro isomer via a norepinephrinergic mechanism.

Description

Keywords

Citation

L. Eugene Arnold et al, "Levoamphetamine and Dextroamphetamine: Differential Effect on Aggression and Hyperkinesis in Children and Dogs," The American Journal of Psychiatry 130, no. 2 (1973)