Irritability (also called as crankiness) is the excitatory ability that

living organisms In biology, an organism () is any living system that functions as an individual entity. All organisms are composed of cells (cell theory). Organisms are classified by taxonomy into groups such as multicellular animals, plants, and fun ...

have to respond to changes in their environment. The term is used for both the

physiological Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemica ...

reaction to stimuli and for the

pathological Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in th ...

, abnormal or excessive sensitivity to stimuli. When reflecting human

emotion Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definitio ...

and

behavior Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as we ...

, it is commonly defined as the tendency to react to stimuli with negative

affective Affect, in psychology, refers to the underlying experience of feeling, emotion or mood. History The modern conception of affect developed in the 19th century with Wilhelm Wundt. The word comes from the German ''Gefühl'', meaning "feeling ...

states (especially

anger Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, su ...

) and temper outbursts, which can be

aggressive Aggression is overt or covert, often harmful, social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or other harm upon another individual; although it can be channeled into creative and practical outlets for some. It may occur either reacti ...

. Distressing or impairing irritability is important from a

mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles Stress (biology), stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-maki ...

perspective as a common symptom of concern and predictor of clinical outcomes.

Definition

Irritability is the excitatory ability that living organisms have to respond to changes in their environment. The term is used for both the

reaction to stimuli and for the

, abnormal or excessive sensitivity to stimuli. Irritability can be demonstrated in behavioral responses to both physiological and behavioral stimuli, including environmental, situational, sociological, and

al stimuli. In humans, irritability may be a significant transdiagnostic symptom or disposition that occurs across or at any point during the lifespan. It is commonly defined as the tendency to react to stimuli with the experience of negative affective states (especially anger) and temper outbursts, which may or may not be aggressive. This definition is well known to have similarities with the definitions of

and

aggression Aggression is overt or covert, often harmful, social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or other harm upon another individual; although it can be channeled into creative and practical outlets for some. It may occur either reacti ...

. New hypotheses and data-driven research are focused on identifying what is unique to irritability, anger, and aggression. The definition is broad. It is also consistent with special definitions that are relevant to research and treatment. One definition is that irritability is a low threshold for experiencing

frustration In psychology, frustration is a common emotional response to opposition, related to anger, annoyance and disappointment. Frustration arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of an individual's will or goal and is likely to in ...

. This definition is helpful for experiments because researchers can induce frustration by blocking desired rewards or doling out unexpected punishments. However, it is not particularly specific to irritability, as frustration is its own construct with a number of emotional and behavioral associations. A second prominent special definition describes a group of behavioral issues often occurring in those diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. This deserves mention here because this version of irritability has been a commonly used in a number of clinical trials and defines the current US

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

irritability indication.

Signs and symptoms

As an emotional and behavioral symptom in humans, someone is considered to be irritable when they have a short temper, become easily frustrated, or feel grouchy or grumpy.

Caregiver A caregiver or carer is a paid or unpaid member of a person's social network who helps them with activities of daily living. Since they have no specific professional training, they are often described as informal caregivers. Caregivers most commo ...

s may report tension in the household or

fatigue Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...

. They may make accommodations to avoid provoking their dependents. Irritability is associated with a number of mental health conditions. It is a defining characteristic of any

mood disorder A mood disorder, also known as an affective disorder, is any of a group of conditions of mental and behavioral disorder where a disturbance in the person's mood is the main underlying feature. The classification is in the '' Diagnostic and St ...

, such as bipolar, depressive, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorders. It is also a major feature of a number of other disorders, including

autism spectrum The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

disorders, traumatic stress disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, etc. Finally, it is a notable characteristic of

delirium Delirium (also known as acute confusional state) is an organically caused decline from a previous baseline of mental function that develops over a short period of time, typically hours to days. Delirium is a syndrome encompassing disturbances ...

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

, hormonal change, metabolic disturbance, chronic stress, pain, and substance/medication withdrawal. Of course, given that irritability is not specific to any one condition, clinicians consider biological, social, psychological, and familial factors. Irritability may be an indicator of diagnosis, course of illness, or prognosis. For example, a major concern for clinicians is the time course of irritability. If a person presents as uncharacteristically irritable, then a clinician may become concerned a change or episodic illness, such as a neurologic insult or mood disorder. Understanding the time course of irritability is critical for establishing the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder from disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. In another example, chronic, severe irritability in older children (not including young children, e.g. preschool age, where normative irritability may be severe) may predict later depression and anxiety and suicidality.

Neurophysiology

Several major neural systems have been implicated across a number of studies for idiopathic, chronic irritability. These include the following: 1) prefrontal areas that underlying complex, goal directed behavior, especially inhibitory control and the regulation of emotions; 2) cortico-subcortical systems underlying reward processing, particularly in reaction to a frustrating stimulus; and 3) cortico-subcortical systems underlying threat and arousal processing, particularly in the context of social fairness or social threat.

Treatments

It is reasonable to adjust lifestyle habits, such as managing sleep, exercise, stress, and diet, should they be contributory.

References

External links