Impulsive aggression in personality disorder: Evidence for involvement of 5-HT-1 receptors

In order to explore relationships between 5-HT function and aggressive impulses in patients with personality disorder (PD), neuroendocrine (i.e. “net” preand postsynaptic: FEN and post-synaptic: m-CPP) indices of central 5-HT function were examined in patients with DSM-III PD. PRL responses to both FEN and m-CPP were inversely correlated with clinicianand self-rated measures of impulsive aggression in PD patients (e.g. Buss-Durkee “Assault + Irritability”: FEN: r = -0.77, N = 20, p = .0002; m-CPP: r = 55, N = 16, p < .05). Preliminary data examining the PRL response to the putative 5-HT-la receptor specific agent Buspirone revealed a similar finding (e.g. Buss-Durkee A+I: r = -0.69, N = 9, p < .05). These data suggest that central serotonergic function is reduced in PD patients with prominent histories of impulsive aggressive behavior and that a representation of the abnormality may be found at the level of hypothalamic post-synaptic 5-HT receptors similar to those of the 5-HT-1 subtype.