Altered state and trait disgust in borderline personality disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Emotion Research

Background:

• Clinical observations suggest a significant role for the emotion of disgust in borderline personality disorder (BPD).
• Understanding the nuances of disgust processing in BPD is crucial for diagnostic and therapeutic advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate trait disgust (proneness, sensitivity, self-disgust) in female patients with BPD compared to healthy controls.
• To examine the perception of affective facial expressions and scenes in relation to disgust in BPD.
• To explore the correlation between disgust alterations and BPD severity.

Main Methods:

• Thirty female patients diagnosed with BPD and 30 healthy female controls participated.
• Participants completed measures of trait disgust, including disgust proneness, sensitivity, and self-disgust.
• Affective facial expressions and scenes were rated for perceived or elicited basic emotions.

Main Results:

• Patients with BPD reported significantly higher levels of trait disgust, with a notable increase in self-disgust.
• BPD patients rated male facial expressions of disgust as more intense than healthy controls, a bias independent of depression or abuse history.
• Altered disgust processing in BPD was broadly observed and positively correlated with the severity of the disorder.

Conclusions:

• Individuals with BPD demonstrate a wide range of altered disgust processes, including heightened self-disgust and a sex-specific bias in disgust perception.
• Disgust reactivity assessment may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for borderline personality disorder.
• Further research into disgust mechanisms in BPD could inform targeted interventions.