There is new hope for intermittent explosive disorder.

Inflammation has been linked to uncontrollable temper, raising the prospect of treating anger with common drugs such as aspirin.

Markers of systemic inflamm-ation, caused by an amplified immune response, are associated with a psychiatric condition called “intermittent explosive disorder”, or IED, say scientists.

In layman’s language, IED can be translated as having a very short fuse. Sufferers are impulsive, hostile and prone to recurrent aggressive outbursts of anger. Road rage is said to be a vivid example of the symptoms.

Researchers in the US found that people diagnosed with IED had higher markers of inflammation in the blood than those with cooler heads and average tempers.

Levels of one, C-reactive protein (CRP), were on average twice as high in “explosive” individuals.

Both CRP and another marker, the signalling molecule interleukin-6 (IL-6), were especially present in people with the worst records of aggressive behaviour.

“These two markers consistently correlate with aggression and impulsivity but not with other psychiatric problems,” said lead scient-ist Emil Coccaro, from the University of Chicago. “We don’t yet know if the inflammation triggers aggression or aggressive feelings set off inflammation, but it’s a powerful indication that the two are biologic-ally connected, and a damaging combination.”

The research raises the possibility that anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin might help calm down people with hot tempers.

IED outbursts are characteristically disproportionate displays of anger in response to provocation that would not normally trigger such an extreme reaction.

The problem may be dismissed as simple “bad behaviour” but goes beyond that, Coccaro pointed out.

“It has strong genetic and biomedical underpinnings,” he said. “This is a serious mental health condition that can be treated.”

Findings are published in the journal Jama Psychiatry.