Beyond borderline personality disorder: the mindful brain

Numerous studies have showed an improvement in symptoms characteristic of borderline personality disorder (BPD) when mindfulness-based interventions were integrated into the daily lives of individuals with BPD. Although these studies have examined the etiology and diagnostic prognosis of BPD, and have discussed the use of mindfulness-based treatments, few researchers have attempted to interpret the neuroscientific findings, which have showed an increase in gray matter in key areas of the brain in clients with BPD who engaged in mindfulness practice. Some clients who had originally met a minimum of five of the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for BPD no longer did so upon engaging in mindfulness-based treatment. This article highlights the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions with an emphasis on meditation, which leads to overall better psychological functioning in clients with BPD in three key areas: impulsivity, emotional irregularity, and relationship instability.