Table 1.
Summary of studies with dopamine-related challenges and various traits conducted in the Department of Psychology, University of Giessen, Germany. Note: std N: ID number of the study presented; Ap: experimental approach (1: without, 2: with assessment of biochemical variables); ref: reference number indicates the number in the reference list related to the study; #: studies using drug hormone responses as independent variables; l-DOPA: l-3,4 dihydroxyphenylalanin; AMPT: alpha-methyl-paratyrosine; DA: dopamine; D1 D2: dopamine receptors 1 and 2; RT: reaction time, CFF: critical flicker fusion frequency, HVA: homovanillic acid (metabolite of dopamine), PRL: prolactin, GH: growth hormone. For column 6, questionnaires, with reference numbers in reference list: Anhed Scale: Chapman Anhedonia Scales [35]; BIS 11: Barratt Impulsivity Scale [36]; BIS/BAS: Gray Behavioural Inhibition and Activation Scale [37]; EPQ: Eysenck Personality Questionnaire [4]. FPI: Freiburg Personality Inventory [38], HHF: Hypo- Hedonie–Fragebogen [39] (olf: olfactoric subscale); MPQ: Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire [41], SSS: Sensation Seeking Scales [6] (BS: Boredom Susceptibility, TAS: Thrill+Adventure Seeking); STAI: State Trait Anxiety Inventory [42]; TPQ: Three-dimensional Personality Questionnaire [7]a). Column Results: MP: mental performance; ↑ ↓: increase/decrease of dependent variable induced by the drug as compared to placebo or pre-drug value; high/low scorers had their scores above/below median value on a respective scale. ESM, electronic supplementary material.
| std N | temperament or personality trait | TM action | substance | dependent variables | scales for traits | results | Ap | ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | extraversion (E)-introversion (I) | D2 antagonist DA precursor DA synthesis inhibitor |
haloperidol l-DOPA AMPT |
RT, CFF HVA |
EPQ | halo challenge: both E & I equally reduced performance l-DOPA challenge: E & I: no change in performance, AMPT challenge: I clearly reduced performance, none in E HVA: no change, I & E |
1/2 | [43] |
| 3 | extraversion (E)-introversion (I) | DA synthetic inhibitor | AMPT | Subj state HVA |
EPQ | E reported more drowsiness than I but their HVA did not differ | 1 | [44,45] |
| 6# | extraversion (E)-introversion (I) | D2 antagonist D1/2 agonist |
fluphenazine lisuride |
Smoking urge PRL |
EPQ | high E were PRL antagonist responders, E was not related to PRL agonist responsea | 2 | [46] |
| 5 | Behav. Activ.(BAS) | DA reupt. inhib | mazindole | PRL | BIS/BAS | no diff in PRL change between persons with high and low BAS scores | 2 | [47] |
| 2 | thrill and adventure seeking (TAS), boredom susceptibility (BS) | D2 antagonist DA precursor |
haloperidol l-DOPA |
mental performance (MP) Subjective state | FPI SSS |
halo challenge: High TAS and high BS subjects. tension↓, MP↑ or no difference; low TAS and low BS subjects: tension↑, MP↓ l-DOPA challenge: High TAS and high BS subjects: MP ↓, no change in tension; low TAS and low BS small MP↑, tension ↓ | 1 | [48] |
| 5 | novelty seeking (NS) | DA reupt. inhib | mazindole | PRL | SSS | PRL response in high NS > low NS subjects | 2 | [47] |
| 6# | thrill and adventure seeking (TAS) | D2 antagonist D1/2 agonist |
fluphenazine lisuride |
smoking urge, PRL | SSS | high TAS and high ES were PRL agonist responders, no relation of TAS and ES to PRL antagonist responsea | 2 | [46] |
| 18 |
experience seeking (ES) disinhibition (DIS) |
D2 antagonist D1/2 agonist |
fluphenazine lisuride |
affect. state, PRL, cortisol smoking urge |
SSS | for both DA challenges high ES and high DIS subjects had identical blunted PRL responses but smoking urge was larger in high ES than in high DIS | 2 | [49] |
| 7# | disinhibition (DIS) | D2 agonist | bromocriptine | PRL, GH | SSS | subjects with high DIS had higher GH than PRL responses | 2 | [50] |
| 19# | motor and cognitive impulsivity (Imp) | D2 agonist SNRI (NE) |
bromocriptine reboxetine | PRL, cortisol | BIS 11 | persons high in Motor Imp. had low DA-induced PRL response combined with low NE-induced cortisol response persons high in Cognitive Imp. had high DA-induced PRL responses combined with high NE-induced cortisol responses |
2 | [51], ESM S4 |
| 2 | aggression (Agg) | D2 antagonist DA precursor |
haloperidol l-DOPA |
MP: mental performance | FPI | halo challenge: in high Agg subjects: Tension ↓, MP ↑ or no change, in low Agg subjects: Tension↑, MP↓. l-DOPA challenge: in high Agg subjects MP↓, no change in tension; low Agg subjects: little MP↑, tension↓ |
1 | [48] |
| 4 | olf. hedonic tone aggression |
D2 antagonist D1/2 agonist |
fluphenazine lisurid |
urge to smoke | HHF | high-Agg and low-HHF-olf subjects: smoking urge ↑ with D1/2 agonist more than with D2 antagonist; low-Agg and high-HHF-olf. subjects: smoking urge ↑ with D2 antagonist more than with D1/2 agonist | 1 | [52] |
| 20# | anxiety, depression | D2 agonist | bromocriptine | PRL (tme/size) | STAI, MPQ, | highly anxious and depressed subjects had low and late PRL responses | 2 | [50] |
| 19# | phys anhedonia (PA) | D2 agonist | bromocriptine | PRL (size/time) | Anhed Scale | high PA subjects responded by low and late DA-induced PRL decrease | 2 | [53] |
| 20# | fatigue (FA) | D2 agonist | bromocriptine | PRL (size/time) | TPQ HA4 | high FA subjects respond by low and late DA-induced PRL decrease | 2 | [54] |
aFor definition of responders see §4.2. of the text, Study 6.