Corn consumption, tryptophan, and cross-national homicide rates
1978
Mawson, A.R. | Jacobs, K.W.
There may exist a relationship between the amount of corn consumed in a country and that country's homicide rate. Studies have shown that serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter, inhibits aggressive behavior. An amino acid, L-tryptophan, is responsible for the synthesis and metabolism of serotonin. Tryptophan must be obtained through food intake, and diets which contain large amounts of corn, which is low in tryptophan, may lead to aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior can be measured by examining homicide rates. Corn-based diets are frequently found in Latin-American countries, which have very high homicide rates. While further testing is necessary to establish a definite relationship between corn-based diets and homicide rates, current evidence does suggest a possible dietary explanation which is not strictly socio-cultural in nature.
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