Pharmacotherapy of borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder can be classified into four groups of symptoms: affective, impulsive, ego-interpersonal, and psychotic. Pharmacotherapy of borderline personality disorder should be directed at the severity of the symptoms in each of these groups, rather than by the presence or absence of the overall syndrome. This article reviews the pharmacotherapy of borderline personality disorder, with special emphasis on affective and impulsive symptoms. Overall, the MAOIs, the SSRIs, and the newer antidepressants (such as venlafaxine) provide the widest spectrum of effective treatment for the symptoms of borderline personality disorder.