PERSONALITY PROFILES AND STATE AGGRESSIVENESS IN FINNISH ALCOHOLIC, VIOLENT OFFENDERS, FIRE SETTERS, AND HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Background: Based on clinical observations in a series of studies on F innish alcoholic, violent offenders, we asserted that the impulsive of fenders represented an extreme group of type 2 alcoholics. We also obs erved that these subjects were vulnerable to hypoglycemia after the ad ministration of oral oral glucose load. Furthermore, we believe that w hile being hypoglycemic, the impulsive offenders are particularly irri table and aggressive. In the present study, we addressed these issues by studying psychological trait and state variables in a new group of violent offenders and fire setters, and age- and sex-matched healthy v olunteers. Methods: Fifty-eight alcoholic, violent offenders and impul sive fire setters and 21 healthy volunteers were administered the Karo linska scales of personality and the Rosenzweig picture frustration te st after an oral aspartame and glucose challenge. Results: The psychol ogical test results and the criminal histories of the offenders, toget her with biochemical measurements, suggest that a low 5-hydroxy-indole acetic acid concentration in cerebrospinal fluid in the alcoholic offe nders is associated with irritability and impaired impulse control, an d a high free testosterone concentration in cerebrospinal fluid is ass ociated with increased aggressiveness, monotony avoidance, sensation s eeking, suspiciousness, and reduced socialization. Conclusion: Finnish alcoholic, impulsive offenders have personality profiles characterist ic of Scandinavian early-onset male alcoholics with antisocial traits, who have been also referred to as type 2 alcoholics.