Impulsive aggression in personality disorder correlates with platelet 5-HT(2A) receptor binding

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between platelet 5-HT(2A) receptor binding and aggressive behavior. ¹²⁵I-LSD B(max) and K(d) 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). B(max) and K(d) values did not differ between personality-disordered subjects and healthy volunteers. However, both B(max) and K(d) 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-HT(2A) receptor sites labeled by ¹²⁵I-LSD.