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Researchers find link between testosterone and aggression

Category: Male Specific Tests

Testosterone testing may reveal how prone an individual is to aggression, according to a new study from Canadian researchers.

A team from the University of Alberta team feels that their findings could revolutionize the current understanding of aggression and what causes it. Additionally, they hope that the knowledge could help more individuals control their anger.

For the study, researchers looked at DNA samples of a group of student volunteers. They then compared this information to survey answers that asked participants about their propensity for aggression.

The findings showed that a genetic sensitivity to the hormone significantly increases the likelihood that an individual will display aggressive behavior. However, researchers said this may not always lead to uncontrollable, violent displays of aggression.

"It's not as though these people were unable to physically control their emotions, it's much more subtle than that," said Peter Hurd, who led the study. "That kind of subtle aggression could involve getting back at a perceived enemy by talking to others about them behind their back."