Low cholesterol and aggression: Is this phenomenon specific to impulsive aggression

Research has revealed an association between serum cholesterol and behavior. Depression, suicide, antisocial and aggressive behavior have been shown to be associated with reduced serotonergic function and evidence suggests these constructs may also be associated with low cholesterol. Many researchers have investigated the phenomenon of low cholesterol in aggressive and antisocial groups. However, this research has yet to identify and/or distinguish the participants as either impulsive or premeditated. Such a distinction has important implications for the direction of future research in this area and possible treatment options. In an attempt to better define the aggressive populations to whom low cholesterol is associated, this study explored the relationship between aggressive subtypes (impulsive/premeditated) and lipids. A pattern of significant correlations, including anxiety and impulsivity measures, were related to lower cholesterol. These significant relationships were complemented by the observation that increased total cholesterol was correlated with higher Premeditated scale (PM) scores on the Impulsive Premeditated Aggression Scales (IPAS) (r = 0.80). This study highlights the importance of the classification of aggressive behavior in lipid research.