Impulsive aggression in borderline personality disorder

Physiological rationale of aggressive behavior: a brain blood perfusion hypothesis

The physiological rationale of aggressive behavior is discussed. The potential importance of homeostatic reaction in brain blood perfusion is described. The author speculates that pathological aggressive behavior arises from urgent biological needs. Attacks of anger show increased regional cerebral blood flow in the temporal cortex or other paralimbic areas, which show hypoperfusion in inter-attack states. This hypoperfusion may also be related to psychological stress-induced cerebral vasoconstriction. Furious physical motion, accompanying the attack, would augment regional cerebral blood flow and maintain it longer. A brain blood perfusion hypothesis as the etiological role of aggressive behavior is presented.