Electroencephalography of DSM-III borderline personality disorder

The EEG's of hospitalized males with the sole diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (n = 37) were compared to those of a group with only dysthymic disorder (n = 31). Borderline patients were found to have significantly more marginal, definite, and combined (marginal and definite) abnormalities on the EEG. The most prevalent abnormality in the borderline was slow-wave activity. The mixture of wave frequencies occurring in the electroencephalogram, known as fusing, occurred significantly more often in the borderline group compared to the dysthymic group. Severity of illness of the borderline group and the depressed group was not significantly correlated with EEG abnormality. Neurophysiologic implications for the pathogenesis of the borderline personality disorder are discussed in light of these findings.