Evidence for default mode network dysfunction in borderline personality disorder.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with executive and cognitive deficits.
• Limited research exists on the brain functional correlates of these deficits in BPD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate task-related brain activation and de-activation patterns during a working memory task in BPD patients.
• To identify potential neural underpinnings of cognitive impairments in BPD.

Main Methods:

• fMRI scans were conducted on 67 BPD patients and 67 healthy controls during an n-back task.
• Linear models were employed to analyze within-group activations and between-group differences.

Main Results:

• No significant activation differences between groups during the 2-back vs. baseline contrast.
• Reduced activation in the precentral cortex and left inferior parietal cortex during the 2-back vs. 1-back contrast in BPD patients.
• BPD patients exhibited failure of de-activation in the medial frontal cortex, precuneus, and other areas, independent of depression history.

Conclusions:

• Limited evidence suggests lateral frontal hypoactivation in BPD during executive tasks.
• BPD is associated with impaired de-activation in key regions of the default mode network.