Book contents
- Cambridge Textbook Of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists
- Reviews
- Cambridge Textbook of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Introduction
- 1 Cells
- 2 Neurotransmitters and Receptors
- 3 Basic Techniques in Neuroscience
- 4 Neuroanatomy
- 5 Neural Circuits
- 6 Modulators
- 7 Genetics
- 8 Neurodevelopment and Neuroplasticity
- 9 Integrated Neurobiology of Specific Syndromes and Treatments
- 9.1 Autism
- 9.2 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- 9.3 Drug Use, Addiction, Tolerance, Withdrawal and Relapse
- 9.4 Anxiety Disorders
- 9.5 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- 9.6 Obsessive–Compulsive and Related Disorders
- 9.7 Major Depressive Disorder
- 9.8 Bipolar Affective Disorder
- 9.9 Psychosis
- 9.10 Schizophrenia
- 9.11 Borderline Personality Disorder
- 9.12 Self-Harm and Suicidality
- 9.13 Medically Unexplained Symptoms
- 9.14 Delirium
- 9.15 Perinatal Disorders
- 9.16 Sleep Disorders
- 9.17 Eating Disorders
- 9.18 Epilepsy and Seizures
- 9.19 Electroconvulsive Therapy
- 9.20 Brain Stimulation
- 10 Neurodegeneration
- Index
- References
9.11 - Borderline Personality Disorder
from 9 - Integrated Neurobiology of Specific Syndromes and Treatments
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 November 2023
Book contents
- Cambridge Textbook Of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists
- Reviews
- Cambridge Textbook of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Introduction
- 1 Cells
- 2 Neurotransmitters and Receptors
- 3 Basic Techniques in Neuroscience
- 4 Neuroanatomy
- 5 Neural Circuits
- 6 Modulators
- 7 Genetics
- 8 Neurodevelopment and Neuroplasticity
- 9 Integrated Neurobiology of Specific Syndromes and Treatments
- 9.1 Autism
- 9.2 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- 9.3 Drug Use, Addiction, Tolerance, Withdrawal and Relapse
- 9.4 Anxiety Disorders
- 9.5 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- 9.6 Obsessive–Compulsive and Related Disorders
- 9.7 Major Depressive Disorder
- 9.8 Bipolar Affective Disorder
- 9.9 Psychosis
- 9.10 Schizophrenia
- 9.11 Borderline Personality Disorder
- 9.12 Self-Harm and Suicidality
- 9.13 Medically Unexplained Symptoms
- 9.14 Delirium
- 9.15 Perinatal Disorders
- 9.16 Sleep Disorders
- 9.17 Eating Disorders
- 9.18 Epilepsy and Seizures
- 9.19 Electroconvulsive Therapy
- 9.20 Brain Stimulation
- 10 Neurodegeneration
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter considers the neuroscience of borderline personality disorder, also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder, focusing on three domains: neuroendocrinological, structural and functional findings. Research in these areas is related to clinical understanding of borderline personality disorder as characterised by (a) emotional dysregulation, (b) impulsivity and (c) social dysfunction. In patients with borderline personality disorder, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis tends to show showing elevated continuous cortisol output and blunted cortisol following psychosocial challenges. The amygdala and hippocampus differ from healthy controls in terms of both reduced volume and measurable activity, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tends to be less active. The neurobiology of borderline personality disorder can be characterised as a proneness to flooding by cortisol, with the amygdala working to heighten the affective meaning of stressful stimuli, and the prefrontal cortex underperforming in the task of downregulating emotional experience. The chapter also considers genetic findings in relation to borderline personality disorder.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Cambridge Textbook of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists , pp. 477 - 483Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023
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