[Impulse control disorders in borderline and antisocial personality disorder]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Context:

• Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by impulsivity and cognitive inhibition deficits.
• Psychopathic/antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) involves a lack of emotional inhibition regarding hostile actions.
• Both BPD and ASPD present with high risk-seeking behavior and impaired response to punishment.

Purpose:

• To delineate the distinct yet overlapping behavioral patterns in borderline personality disorder and psychopathic/antisocial personality disorder.
• To highlight the common outcome of (auto)aggressive behavior in both personality disorders.
• To emphasize the critical role of primary care physicians in identifying and referring patients with these disorders.

Summary:

• BPD is linked to uncontrolled impulsive acts due to deficient cognitive inhibition.
• ASPD is associated with a lack of emotional inhibition for hostile acts.
• Patients with BPD or ASPD exhibit risk-seeking tendencies and fail to learn from punishment, resulting in aggressive behaviors.

Impact:

• Early identification and referral of patients with BPD and ASPD are crucial for managing aggressive behaviors.
• Prompt specialist consultation can mitigate risks of self-harm and severe functional limitations.
• Understanding these personality disorders aids in timely and appropriate clinical intervention.