Study Says Millions Have 'Rage' Disorder
(Chicago, AP, 6/5/06)

.Dr. Ronald Kessler of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Emil Coccaro of the University Chicago Medical School report that the results of a nationwide, face-to-face survey of over 9,000 US residents, indicates that 16 million American adults may suffer from intermittent explosive disorder (IED). This illness is characterized by multiple temper outbursts that are out of proportion to the situation. The researchers emphasize that these aggressive overreactions, which are typically evident by age 14, are not just a matter of bad behavior, but rather the result of biological and cognitive factors. The scientists speculate that the condition may be tied to insufficient or malfunctioning serotonin, a brain chemical. Anger management therapy and antidepressants are currently used to try to control this disorder.

(Archives of General Psychiatry, June 2006)