A Comparison of Fluoxetine and Divalproex for the Treatment of Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) In good physical health Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M) score of 15 or higher at screening Willing and able to comply with the study requirements Exclusion Criteria: Life history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, organic mental syndrome, or mental retardation Current major depressive disorder, with a Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) Scale score higher than 18 Current alcohol or drug abuse or dependence Active medical conditions that will interfere with the study Thymoleptic or neuroleptic treatments Presence of the following serious and active medical conditions: demyelinating or progressive degenerative disorders; central nervous system infection; progressive degenerative neurological disorder; ischemic heart disease; respiratory, renal, or liver disease; Type I diabetes; malignant neoplasm; hyper- or hypo-coagulopathy; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); or seizure disorder. Participants with a history of more than two febrile seizures prior to 1 year of age are eligible. Chronic, ongoing treatment with the following classes of medications: antidepressants, neuroleptics, mood stabilizers, antianxiety agents, hypnotics, narcotics or synthetic narcotics, barbiturates, stimulants, anti-migraine agents, anti-epileptics, non-beta-blocking or Ca-channel blocking anti-arrhythmic agents prescribed to treat cardiac arrhythmia, anticoagulants, immunomodulators, anti-neoplastic agents, or HIV antiviral agents Ongoing psychotherapeutic treatment for the treatment of IED or anger that was started less than 3 months before study entry Hypersensitivity to fluoxetine or divalproex Pregnancy