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Disinhibition and borderline personality disorder
Joel T Nigg1, Kenneth R Silk, Gillian Stavro
1Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823-1116, USA. nigg@msu.edu
Development and Psychopathology
|April 15, 2006
Summary
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms correlate with impaired response inhibition, a key executive function. This finding holds even when accounting for ADHD and antisocial traits, suggesting unique BPD-related inhibitory control deficits.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with regulatory problems.
- Existing research links executive function deficits to BPD, but has not isolated response inhibition.
- Other personality disorders, ADHD, and mood/anxiety symptoms often co-occur with BPD, complicating research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between BPD symptoms and response inhibition.
- To determine if response inhibition deficits in BPD persist after controlling for confounding factors.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted using an adult sample with BPD and other disorders.
- Response inhibition was measured using the stop signal reaction time task.
- Statistical analyses controlled for symptoms of ADHD, antisociality, and other Axis II disorders.
Main Results:
- BPD symptoms showed a significant correlation with impaired response inhibition.
- This correlation remained significant after controlling for ADHD, antisociality, and other Axis II disorder symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Executive response inhibition deficits are specifically associated with BPD.
- Findings suggest distinct developmental pathways to BPD involving specific mechanism breakdowns.
- Future research can investigate these pathways at cognitive and trait levels.