DOCBOOK-APPS: too much space before itemizedlist

Is it possible to decrease the space before an itemizedlist?
dblists.dsl contains:

;; Improve spacing on lists, remove extra space before..
;; Suggested by Adam Di Carlo, 
(define ($list$)
  (make display-group 
    start-indent: (if (INBLOCK?)
                      (inherited-start-indent)
                      (+ %block-start-indent% (inherited-start-indent)))
    space-after:  (if (INLIST?) %para-sep% %block-sep%)))

In what way does that "remove extra space before"? I think there is too much 
space.

Cheers,
Tim