Anomalies of cyclic AMP excretion in some abnormal offenders.

It is now well established that the metabolic sequeale of catecholamine secretion are mediated via cyclic nucleotides. Recent studies have indicated changes in the pattern of catecholamine secretion correlating with convictions for violence in maximum security hospital detainees. This study of the excretion rate of urinary cyclic AMP in this group of patients failed to show a correlation between adrenaline or noradrenaline and cyclic AMP secretion. However, subjects convicted of sexual offences showed a significantly greater cyclic AMP excretion than other patients and normal controls. These results are discussed in terms of the possible modification of receptor sensitivity and influence of alternative agonists such as testosterone.