The role of serotonin in the future of forensic psychiatry.

The role of serotonin in understanding suicidality, violence, impulse disorders, and paraphilias is described and the current state of our knowledge is reviewed. Clinical research in these areas will provide new understanding of behavior that leads to violations of the law. Forensic psychiatrists need to be more aware of these developments, and they must recognize that the uniqueness of their specialty lies in its clinical and research perspectives.