DIMENSIONAL CLASSIFICATION AND BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY OF PERSONALITY-DISORDERS - A REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS

Nosological orientation in psychiatry has severely hampered the progre ss of research in biological psychiatry, especially in the case of per sonality disorders. Dimensional approaches have redefined the characte ristics of these disorders and their possible pathogenetic factors. Th e significance of arousal and stress, so far relatively neglected in c linical research, and its important function in adaptive and coping st rategies has to be included in the study of the behavioral pharmacolog y of personality disorders. Some preliminary clinical data are availab le suggesting the potential therapeutic use of serotonin modulating ag ents in the key symptomatology of certain personality disorders such a s disturbed impulsive regulation and increased stress reactivity.