The catechol o-methyltransferase (COMT) val 158 met polymorphism modulates the association of serious life events (SLE) and impulsive aggression in female patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) Wagner S, Baskaya O ¨ , Anicker NJ, Dahmen N, Lieb K, Tadic´ A. The catechol o-methyltransferase (COMT) val 158 met polymorphism modulates the association of serious life events (SLE) and impulsive aggression in female patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Objective: We analyzed i) the effects of serious life events (SLE) on impulsive aggression, and ii) modulating effects of the COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism on the association between SLEs and impulsive aggression in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Method: One hundred and twelve female BPD patients from Germany were included in this study. Impulsive aggression was assessed by the Buss-Durkee-Hostility Inventory (BDHI). Results: Childhood sexual abuse was associated with lower BDHI sum score (P = 0.003). In COMT Val 158 Val carriers, but not in Val ⁄ Met and Met ⁄ Met carriers, childhood sexual abuse and the cumulative number of SLEs were associated with lower BDHI sum scores (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study analyzing a specific gene · environment interaction in female BPD patients suggests an association between SLEs and impulsive aggression, as well as a modulating effect of the COMT Val 158 Val genotype on the relation between SLEs and impulsive aggression. S. Wagner 1 , Ö. Baskaya 1 , N. J. Anicker 1 , N. Dahmen 1,2 , K. Lieb 1 , A. Tadic ´ 1 1 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany and 2 Bioglobe GmbH, Hamburg, Germany Key words: borderline personality disorder; catechol- o-methyltransferase Val 158 Met polymorphism; females; impulsive aggression; serious life events Stefanie Wagner, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Strasse 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany. E-mail: stefwagn@uni-mainz.de Accepted for publication October 7, 2009 Significant outcomes • Childhood sexual abuse explained a 26.1% variance account on Buss-Durkee-Hostility Inventory (BDHI) sum score (P = 0.005). • In catechol o-methyltransferase (COMT) Val ⁄ Val carriers, childhood sexual abuse explained a 69.3% (P = 0.001) and the cumulative number of serious life events (SLEs) a 60.3% (P = 0.008) increment in variance account of BDHI sum score. • Serious life events were associated with decreased impulsive aggression in the total group as well as in COMT Val ⁄ Val carriers. Limitations • Potential mediating factors such as social support or the parent-child relationship were not investigated. • The post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-section of the M-CIDI did not assess the duration and continuity of SLEs. • Missing of a self-rating scale to assess serious life events Acta Psychiatr Scand 2010: 122: 110–117 All rights reserved DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2009.01501.x Ó 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA 110