Aggressive behaviour and heroin addiction

In this review we discuss the correlations between aggressiveness, defined according to a behaviourist model, and heroin dependence according to DSM-IV-R criteria. Criminality appears to be only an indirect, partial index of aggressive behavior in heroin addicts. The aggressive behaviour of heroin addicts is probably different from that of other kinds of mentally ill patients, non-opiate substance abusers and the general population, and seems to be specifically related to the degree of chronic intoxication. Gender differences, aggressive habits before heroin use, and modulation during intoxication and/or withdrawal states have been documented. The association between cerebral opioidergic abnormalities and psychiatric disorders characterized by affective instability, feelings of anger and hostility, perception abnormalities and sexual dysfunction, could explain highly aggressive behaviours of heroin addicts which are not directly related to drug supply. Knowledge about the anti-aggressive property of non-opioid drugs is limited. On the other hand, opioid agonists are promising agents for the treatment of aggressive behaviours in non-addicted patients, too.