Investigation of the relationship between sensation seeking behavior and levels of serum sex steroid hormones in antisocial personality disorder

Abstract

The relationship between sensation seeking and serum sex steroid levels was investigated in 95 male subjects with antisocial personality disorder and 103 healthy male subjects. Participants completed Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale. Free and total testosterone, DHEA and cortisol were derived from plasma between 07:00 and 09:00. Sensation seeking scores of subjects with antisocial personality disorder were higher than that of the control group. In antisocial personality group, free and total testosterone, cortisol and DHEA levels were significantly higher than those of the control group. When the hormone levels and behavior patterns were examined, only a negative relationship between disinhibition and experience seeking subscales of sensation seeking scale and cortisol levels were found, and there was no other relationship between behavior patterns and other hormone levels. Data did not confirm any relationship between sex steroids and sensation seeking in the antisocial personality disorder group. There was a weak relationship between sensation seeking behavior and hormone levels in this study. It was thought that sensation seeking behavior would improve in a social environment and the dynamics of this environment could affect the behavior.