Contextualizing the neurobiology of conduct disorder in an emotion dysregulation framework M. Catherine Cappadocia ⁎, Mary Desrocher, Debra Pepler, Jessica H. Schroeder Psychology Department, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3 abstract article info Article history: Received 17 November 2008 Received in revised form 30 May 2009 Accepted 1 June 2009 Keywords: Conduct disorder Conduct problems Behavior problems Aggression Antisocial Biology Neurobiology Neurology Electrophysiology Neurochemical Emotion regulation Conduct disorder (CD) represents the most common childhood psychiatric disorder found in community and mental health clinics. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the neurobiology of CD; specifically, neurological and neurochemical correlates. Converging evidence suggests that neurological profiles of individuals with CD, compared to peers, are characterized by reduced P300 brain wave amplitude, deactivation of the anterior cingulated cortex and reduced activation in the left amygdala in response to negative stimuli, and reduced right temporal lobe volume. The neurochemical profiles of individuals with CD are characterized by reduced serotonin and cortisol levels (i.e., decreased HPA axis function), as well as attenuated autonomic nervous system functioning. Popular theoretical frameworks cited within the CD literature are limited in their ability to explain and consolidate the neurological and neurochemical findings. We believe that emotion dysregulation theory, though not often used within CD research, may provide the most comprehensive and inclusive framework for understanding neurobiological aspects of this disorder. Limitations within the literature, future directions for research, and implications of the findings will be discussed. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Background information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 2. Review of implicated genetic and social factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 3. Popular biological theories of abnormal aggression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 4. Emotion dysregulation theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508 5. Neurological correlates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508 5.1. Structural and functional brain deficits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508 5.2. Electrophysiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509 6. Neurochemical correlates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510 6.1. Serotonin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510 6.2. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511 6.3. Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512 7. Limitations within the literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513 8. Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515 9. Future directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516 Conduct disorder (CD) represents the most common childhood psychiatric disorder found in community and mental health clinics (Loeber, Burke, Lahey, Winters, & Zera, 2000). CD is associated with later aggressive and antisocial behaviors, adult criminality, early mortality, poor physical health, comorbid disorders, academic under- achievement, and poor self-regulation (Teichner & Golden, 2000; Clinical Psychology Review 29 (2009) 506–518 ⁎ Corresponding author. LaMarsh Research Centre, York University, 4700 Keele Street, TEL 5022, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3. E-mail addresses: catcap@yorku.ca (M.C. Cappadocia), mdesroch@yorku.ca (M. Desrocher), pepler@yorku.ca (D. Pepler), jessica4@yorku.ca (J.H. Schroeder). 0272-7358/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2009.06.001 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Clinical Psychology Review