Proteolytic Enzyme System in Sexual Deviates

Abstract

AS PART of a research program on sexual deviation,* a comparative study of several biochemical measures was made in an attempt to define or differentiate subgroups within a total population of hospitalized male sex offenders. This paper reports the results obtained with one of these measures, a compound or compounds present in blood sera which can be quantitatively evaluated by its inhibitory action on the milk-clotting properties of rennin enzyme.The metabolic significance of rennin inhibitor has not yet been fully explored.Concentrations in blood serum vary with age and with certain conditions of health and disease. High levels are normally found in children, adolescents, and women during pregnancy.1 Elevations of rennin inhibitor are frequently observed 2 in hypertension and asthma and during convalescent periods following acute illness and fractures. In malignant disease 3 concentrations of rennin inhibitor tend to drop under conditions of rapid tumor growth, rising to high levels as growth is controlled or when spontaneous regression occurs. On the basis of these findings it has been speculated f that elevated rennin inhibitor levels in human blood sera may reflect heightened anabolic activity. Jacobs and Tempereau 4 have reported high levels in adult schizophrenics (pri¬ marily catatonics) who show particularly weak ego defenses, low frustration toler¬ ance, and fragmented behavior under stress situations ordinarily expected to arouse hostile reactions.In a preliminary survey 5 the rennin inhibitor levels of 95 sex offenders confined at Metropolitan State Hospital for treatment under the California Sex Psychopath Act were found to be significantly higher than those obtained from a control group of 141 students, physicians, and other healthy subjects within the same age range.Since the stress of arrest, conviction, and incarceration may have accounted in part for elevations found in the sex offender group, a new study was formulated in which the factor of institutionalization could be held constant.6 In order to control this factor, two subgroups from the population of hospitalized sex offenders were studied. * This project, conducted by the