Functional dysconnectivity in triple and reward networks among adolescents with borderline personality disorder

In adolescents, the role of functional dysconnectivity in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SAN), frontoparietal network (FPN), and reward network as markers of borderline personality disorder (BPD) remains uncertain.

A total of 45 adolescents with BPD comorbid with a mood disorder (bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder), 31 adolescents without BPD but with a mood disorder, and 47 healthy adolescents were enrolled in the study. All participants underwent resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging. Seed-based functional connectivity (SBFC) analysis was performed on specific brain regions related to the DMN, SAN, FPN, and reward network.

SBFC analysis indicated significant intergroup differences in FC in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, rostral prefrontal cortex (RPFC), and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Specifically, the BPD group exhibited higher FC in the PCC seed region within the posterior DMN compared with the non-BPD and control groups. Both mood disorder groups exhibited functional hypoconnectivity in the MPFC, ACC, AI, RPFC, and NAc seed regions.

Increased FC within the posterior DMN may serve as a neuromarker of BPD in adolescents and reflect overactivation of this region during social processing. Widespread functional hypoconnectivity in the anterior DMN and SAN regions was found in both mood disorder groups.