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EPA-1570 - Social Exclusion Leads to a Reduction of Oxytocin Plasma Levels in Borderline Patients Compared to Healthy Subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

A. Jobst
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
A. Albert
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
C. Bauriedl-Schmidt
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
C. Mauer
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
B. Renneberg
Affiliation:
Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
A. Buchheim
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
L. Sabaþ
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
P. Falkai
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
P. Zill
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
F. Padberg
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany

Abstract

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Background

Besides affective instability and identity diffusion, disturbances in social interactions are a core symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Interpersonal problems in BPD have been suggested to be associated with oxytocin dysregulation. To directly address this hypothesis, we investigated oxytocin plasma levels during a social exclusion (ostracism) paradigm in female BPD patients.

Methods

Twenty-two female BPD patients (diagnosed according to DSM-IV) and twenty-one healthy controls matched for gender, age, and education underwent repeated neuroendocrine measurements in a standardized laboratory setting during the Cyberball paradigm, a virtual balltossing game that evokes a social exclusion situation. Emotional reactions were assessed and oxytocin and cortisol levels measured at baseline and 5, 15, and 40 min after Cyberball.

Results

After social exclusion, oxytocin plasma levels were lower in BPD patients than in healthy controls, whereas cortisol levels did not differ between groups. BPD patients showed distinct differences in emotion regulation compared to healthy participants and reacted to social exclusion with an increase of other-focused negative emotions, particularly anger and contempt.

Conclusions

Our pilot study suggests that the oxytocin system shows a differential response to social exclusion in BPD patients compared to healthy controls. This difference may be related to the high rejection sensitivity of BPD patients and their difficulties in resolving social conflict.

Type
E04 - e-Poster Oral Session 04: Therapy and Consultant liaison psychiatry, miscellaneous
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2014
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