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Fluoxetine and impulsive aggressive behavior in personality-disordered subjects
1Department of Psychiatry, Hahnemann School of Medicine, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa., USA.
Archives of General Psychiatry
|December 24, 1997
Summary
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like fluoxetine reduce impulsive aggression in personality-disordered individuals. This study shows fluoxetine
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Decades of research link lower serotonin system function to increased impulsive aggression.
- Pharmacological enhancement of serotonin activity is hypothesized to reduce such behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anti-aggressive effects of fluoxetine in individuals with personality disorders and impulsive aggression.
- To assess fluoxetine's efficacy compared to placebo in a controlled trial.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 40 participants with DSM-III-R personality disorders and histories of impulsive aggression.
- Utilized the Overt Aggression Scale-Modified for Outpatients and the Clinical Global Impression Rating of Improvement.
Main Results:
- Fluoxetine significantly reduced irritability and aggression scores compared to placebo, with effects emerging by months 2 and 3.
- A greater proportion of patients receiving fluoxetine were rated as 'responders' on the Clinical Global Impression scale.
Conclusions:
- Fluoxetine demonstrates an anti-aggressive effect in individuals with DSM-III-R personality disorder and impulsive aggressive behavior.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment offers a potential therapeutic avenue for managing impulsive aggression.