Impulsive aggression in personality disorder correlates with platelet 5-HT2A receptor binding.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between platelet 5-HT2A receptor binding and aggressive behavior. 125I-LSD Bmax and Kd values were measured for 22 subjects meeting DMS-III-R criteria for one or more personality disorders and 12 healthy volunteer subjects. Aggression and impulsivity were assessed using the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) Assault scale, Life History of Aggression (LHA) scale, and the Barratt-11 Impulsiveness scale (BIS-11). Bmax and Kd values did not differ between personality disordered subjects and healthy volunteers. However, both Bmax and Kd values correlated positively with BDHI Assault scores in personality-disordered subjects but not in healthy volunteer subjects. These results suggest that assaultiveness in personality-disordered subjects may covary with increasing numbers, but decreasing affinity, of platelet 5-HT2A receptor sites labeled by 125I-LSD.