Tryptophan hydroxylase genotype is associated with impulsive-aggression measures: a preliminary study

To assess the relationship between two phenotypes in an extremely well-characterized population of personality disorder patients–impulsive aggression and prolactin response to fenfluramine–and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) genotype, TPH genotype (at an intronic polymorphic site) and prolactin response to fenfluramine were assessed in 40 Caucasian patients with personality disorder. Impulsive aggression was assessed by using the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI). Twenty-one male patients with the “LL” genotype had higher BDHI scores than men with the “UL” or the “UU” genotype. No relationship between genotype and prolactin response to fenfluramine was found. It was concluded that impulsive-aggressive behavior in male personality disorder patients may be associated with the TPH genotype. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 81:13–17, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.