Impulse control disorders and depression

J Nerv Ment Dis. 2002 May;190(5):310-4. doi: 10.1097/00005053-200205000-00007.

Abstract

This study assessed the frequency of impulse control disorders (ICDs) and their association with bulimia, compulsive buying, and suicide attempts in a population of depressed inpatients. We investigated ICDs using the Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview. Patients answered the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale and the Barratt Impulsivity Rating Scale. Among the 31 depressed patients who met criteria for ICD (ICD+ group), we found 18 cases of intermittent explosive disorder, three cases of pathological gambling, four cases of kleptomania, three cases of pyromania, and three cases of trichotillomania. Patients with co-occurring ICDs were significantly younger (mean age = 37.7 versus 42.8 years). Patients with kleptomania had a higher number of previous depressive episodes (5.7 versus 1.3), and patients with pyromania had a higher number of previous depressions (3.3 versus 1.3, p =.01). Bipolar disorders were more frequent in the ICD+ group than in the ICD- group (19% versus 1.3%, p =.002), whereas antisocial personality was not (3% versus 1%, p = ns). Bulimia (42% versus 10.5%, p =.005) and compulsive buying (51% versus 22%, p =.006) were significantly more frequent in the ICD+ group. Patients from the ICD+ group had higher scores of motor impulsivity assessed with the Barratt Impulsivity rating scale (p =.01).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Bulimia / diagnosis
  • Bulimia / epidemiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Compulsive Behavior / diagnosis
  • Compulsive Behavior / epidemiology
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology*
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / diagnosis
  • Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Firesetting Behavior / diagnosis
  • Firesetting Behavior / epidemiology
  • Gambling / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality / classification
  • Personality Assessment
  • Prevalence
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Recurrence
  • Suicide, Attempted / statistics & numerical data
  • Trichotillomania / diagnosis
  • Trichotillomania / epidemiology