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intermittent explosive disorder

MedGen UID:
7116
•Concept ID:
C0021776
•
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonyms: Disorders, Intermittent Explosive; Explosive Disorder, Intermittent; Intermittent Explosive Disorder; Intermittent Explosive Disorders
SNOMED CT: Intermittent explosive disorder (40987004)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0001521

Definition

A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of serious assaultive acts or destruction of property due to a failure to resist aggressive impulses; the degree of aggression during these episodes is grossly out of proportion to any psychosocial provocation. The aggressive episodes are not etiologically linked to another mental disorder, a general medical condition, or substance use. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVintermittent explosive disorder

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Validity of the new A1 and A2 criteria for DSM-5 intermittent explosive disorder.
Coccaro EF, Lee R, McCloskey MS
Compr Psychiatry 2014 Feb;55(2):260-7. Epub 2013 Oct 19 doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.09.007. PMID: 24321204
Efficacy of mood stabilisers in the treatment of impulsive or repetitive aggression: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Jones RM, Arlidge J, Gillham R, Reagu S, van den Bree M, Taylor PJ
Br J Psychiatry 2011 Feb;198(2):93-8. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083030. PMID: 21282779
Intermittent explosive disorder: epidemiology, diagnosis and management.
Olvera RL
CNS Drugs 2002;16(8):517-26. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216080-00002. PMID: 12096933

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Emotion attribution in intermittent explosive disorder.
Patoilo MS, Berman ME, Coccaro EF
Compr Psychiatry 2021 Apr;106:152229. Epub 2021 Feb 1 doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2021.152229. PMID: 33662604
Psychosocial impairment in DSM-5 intermittent explosive disorder.
Rynar L, Coccaro EF
Psychiatry Res 2018 Jun;264:91-95. Epub 2018 Mar 30 doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.077. PMID: 29627702Free PMC Article
Suicidal behavior and aggression-related disorders.
McCloskey MS, Ammerman BA
Curr Opin Psychol 2018 Aug;22:54-58. Epub 2017 Aug 9 doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.08.010. PMID: 28829989
Intermittent explosive disorder as a disorder of impulsive aggression for DSM-5.
Coccaro EF
Am J Psychiatry 2012 Jun;169(6):577-88. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.11081259. PMID: 22535310
Low brain serotonin turnover rate (low CSF 5-HIAA) and impulsive violence.
Virkkunen M, Goldman D, Nielsen DA, Linnoila M
J Psychiatry Neurosci 1995 Jul;20(4):271-5. PMID: 7544158Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Comorbidity profile of mental disorders among adolescents: A latent class analysis.
Essau CA, de la Torre-Luque A
Psychiatry Res 2019 Aug;278:228-234. Epub 2019 Jun 6 doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.06.007. PMID: 31226549
Anger in psychological disorders: Prevalence, presentation, etiology and prognostic implications.
Fernandez E, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2016 Jun;46:124-35. Epub 2016 Apr 27 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.04.012. PMID: 27188635
Treating intermittent explosive disorder. Emerging data show medication and cognitive behavioral therapy may help some patients.
Harv Ment Health Lett 2011 Apr;27(10):6. PMID: 21786470
Intermittent explosive disorder: epidemiology, diagnosis and management.
Olvera RL
CNS Drugs 2002;16(8):517-26. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216080-00002. PMID: 12096933
Intermittent explosive disorder.
Coccaro EF
Curr Psychiatry Rep 2000 Feb;2(1):67-71. doi: 10.1007/s11920-000-0045-z. PMID: 11122935

Therapy

Pharmacotherapy of impulse control disorders: A systematic review.
Tahir T, Wong MM, Maaz M, Naufal R, Tahir R, Naidoo Y
Psychiatry Res 2022 May;311:114499. Epub 2022 Mar 7 doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114499. PMID: 35305343
The neurobiology of aggression and violence.
Rosell DR, Siever LJ
CNS Spectr 2015 Jun;20(3):254-79. Epub 2015 May 4 doi: 10.1017/S109285291500019X. PMID: 25936249
Treating intermittent explosive disorder. Emerging data show medication and cognitive behavioral therapy may help some patients.
Harv Ment Health Lett 2011 Apr;27(10):6. PMID: 21786470
Intermittent explosive disorder: epidemiology, diagnosis and management.
Olvera RL
CNS Drugs 2002;16(8):517-26. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216080-00002. PMID: 12096933
Phenytoin revisited.
Finkel MJ
Clin Ther 1984;6(5):577-91. PMID: 6383610

Prognosis

Predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy for intermittent explosive disorder: A preliminary analysis.
Ciesinski NK, Zajac MK, McCloskey MS
J Consult Clin Psychol 2024 Jan;92(1):54-60. Epub 2023 Oct 19 doi: 10.1037/ccp0000858. PMID: 37856378Free PMC Article
Anger in psychological disorders: Prevalence, presentation, etiology and prognostic implications.
Fernandez E, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2016 Jun;46:124-35. Epub 2016 Apr 27 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.04.012. PMID: 27188635
Intermittent explosive disorder.
Harv Ment Health Lett 2006 Sep;23(3):5-6. PMID: 17131536
Low brain serotonin turnover rate (low CSF 5-HIAA) and impulsive violence.
Virkkunen M, Goldman D, Nielsen DA, Linnoila M
J Psychiatry Neurosci 1995 Jul;20(4):271-5. PMID: 7544158Free PMC Article
Hypothalamic lesions and intermittent explosive disorder.
Tonkonogy JM, Geller JL
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1992 Winter;4(1):45-50. doi: 10.1176/jnp.4.1.45. PMID: 1627961

Clinical prediction guides

Predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy for intermittent explosive disorder: A preliminary analysis.
Ciesinski NK, Zajac MK, McCloskey MS
J Consult Clin Psychol 2024 Jan;92(1):54-60. Epub 2023 Oct 19 doi: 10.1037/ccp0000858. PMID: 37856378Free PMC Article
Psychiatric comorbidity in Intermittent Explosive Disorder.
Coccaro EF
J Psychiatr Res 2019 Nov;118:38-43. Epub 2019 Aug 25 doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.08.012. PMID: 31487607Free PMC Article
Emotion processing in intermittent explosive disorder.
Fahlgren MK, Puhalla AA, Sorgi KM, McCloskey MS
Psychiatry Res 2019 Mar;273:544-550. Epub 2019 Jan 14 doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.01.046. PMID: 30710810
Anger in psychological disorders: Prevalence, presentation, etiology and prognostic implications.
Fernandez E, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2016 Jun;46:124-35. Epub 2016 Apr 27 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.04.012. PMID: 27188635
Low brain serotonin turnover rate (low CSF 5-HIAA) and impulsive violence.
Virkkunen M, Goldman D, Nielsen DA, Linnoila M
J Psychiatry Neurosci 1995 Jul;20(4):271-5. PMID: 7544158Free PMC Article

Recent systematic reviews

Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychological and Pharmacological Treatment for Intermittent Explosive Disorder: Insights From Both Case Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials.
Liu F, Yin X, Jiang W
Clin Psychol Psychother 2025 Jan-Feb;32(1):e70016. doi: 10.1002/cpp.70016. PMID: 39821512Free PMC Article
Posterior Hypothalamic Region Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Aggression Disorders in Patients with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review.
Cojazzi V, Innocenti N, Castelli N, Levi V, Nazzi V, Lozano A, Rizzi M
Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2024;102(2):74-82. Epub 2024 Jan 25 doi: 10.1159/000535105. PMID: 38272011
Exploring the Impact of Family Separation on Refugee Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-narrative Analysis.
Ali-Naqvi O, Alburak TA, Selvan K, Abdelmeguid H, Malvankar-Mehta MS
Psychiatr Q 2023 Mar;94(1):61-77. Epub 2023 Jan 24 doi: 10.1007/s11126-022-10013-8. PMID: 36690848
Pharmacotherapy of impulse control disorders: A systematic review.
Tahir T, Wong MM, Maaz M, Naufal R, Tahir R, Naidoo Y
Psychiatry Res 2022 May;311:114499. Epub 2022 Mar 7 doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114499. PMID: 35305343
Efficacy of mood stabilisers in the treatment of impulsive or repetitive aggression: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Jones RM, Arlidge J, Gillham R, Reagu S, van den Bree M, Taylor PJ
Br J Psychiatry 2011 Feb;198(2):93-8. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083030. PMID: 21282779

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