Editing Aggression (section)

===Glucocorticoids===
[[Glucocorticoid]] hormones have an important role in regulating aggressive behavior. In adult rats, acute injections of [[corticosterone]] promote aggressive behavior and acute reduction of corticosterone decreases aggression; however, a chronic reduction of corticosterone levels can produce abnormally aggressive behavior. In addition, glucocorticoids affect development of aggression and establishment of social hierarchies. Adult mice with low baseline levels of corticosterone are more likely to become dominant than are mice with high baseline corticosterone levels.<ref name="Soma2008"/>

Glucocorticoids are released by the [[Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis|hypothalamic pituitary adrenal]] (HPA) axis in response to [[stress (biological)|stress]], of which [[cortisol]] is the most prominent in humans. Results in adults suggest that reduced levels of cortisol, linked to lower fear or a reduced stress response, can be associated with more aggression. However, it may be that proactive aggression is associated with low cortisol levels while reactive aggression may be accompanied by elevated levels. Differences in assessments of cortisol may also explain a diversity of results, particularly in children.<ref name="van goozen"/>

The HPA axis is related to the general [[fight-or-flight response]] or [[acute stress reaction]], and the role of [[catecholamines]] such as [[epinephrine]], popularly known as adrenaline.