The Catechol O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism modulates the association of Serious Life Events (SLE) and impulsive aggression in female patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

Impulsive aggression is a key feature of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which is suggested to play an important role for the suicide risk of BPD patients. It is believed to be determined by a complex interplay of genetic vulnerability, socio-cultural factors, personality traits and comorbid psychiatric disorders. The COMT Val158Met polymorphism has been investigated for its potential role in the regulation of aggression in male schizophrenia patients and in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as in the regulation of emotional arousal. 112 female BPD patients from Germany were included in the study. Impulsive aggression was assessed by the Buss-Durkee-Hostility Inventory (BDHI), SLEs by the PTSD-section included in the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). We analyzed 1) the effects of serious life events (SLEs) on impulsive aggression, and 2) modulating effects of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on the relation between SLEs and impulsive aggression in female BPD patients. Regression analyses confirmed a decreasing effect of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on BDHI sum score as well as a decreasing effect of CSA and the cumulative number of SLEs on BDHI sum score in COMT Val/Val carriers. The study analyzing a specific gene x environment interaction in female BPD patients suggests a decreasing effect of SLEs on impulsive aggression in the total group and in COMT Val/Val carriers