MEDLINE RESEARCH ON THE BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER

Medline is run by the National Medical Library, and summarized (via abstracts) what are felt to be the most important articles on most medical subjects for the medical profession. These abstracts from Medline are about the BPD.

1980-1985

Am J Psychiatry 1982 Jun;139(6):741-6 "Aggression, suicide, and serotonin: relationships to CSF amine metabolites" Low levels of the serotonin metabolite (5-HIAA) are associated with aggression and suicidal behavior. (metabolite means a breakdown product)

Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982 Jul;39(7):765-9 "Familial transmission of DSM-III borderline personality disorder"   No increased risk of schizophrenia in relatives with BPD. A relative of a BPD patient had ten times greater risk of developing the BPD compared to those whose relatives had bipolar or schizophrenia.

J Autism Dev Disord 1983 Mar;13(1):67-72    "'Borderline' children" Sixteen children diagnosed with the BPD on comprehensive evaluation did not meet BPD criteria. The BPD diagnosis had a negative impact on some of the children.

J Clin Psychol 1983 Sep,39(5):722-6 "Screening for borderline personality disorders with the MMPI-168"   On this test the BPD pattern was clearly distinguishable from the majority of college students. (Note: severity of the BPD was not selected out for)

Psychiatry Res 1983 Jun;9(2):107-13 "The TRH test in patients with borderline personality disorder"   7/15 BPD patients had a blunted TSH response to TRH infusion (note: the thyroid stimulating hormone - TSH - should have gone up normally).

J Nerv Ment Dis 1984 Feb;172(2):98-104 "Multiple personality as a borderline disorder."  This study suggests the multiple personality should be viewed as a borderline disorder.

Psychiatr Clin North Am 1984 Mar;7(1):69-87 "Are multiple personalities borderline? An analysis of 33 cases." BPD is very prevalent in patients with multiple personality disorder, but it is not universal and is a separate and distinct disorder.

J Clin Psychol 1984 Mar;40(2):410-3 "Borderline personality disorder and the MMPI" 14 patients showed considerable variability, but some categories were higher for BPD patients, offering partial support for it's validity. (Note: severity of the BPD was not selected out for)

Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984 Jun;41(6):565-8 "Structured interviews and borderline personality disorder"   The DIB - Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines - was only 70% sensitive for diagnosing the BPD, and 10% diagnosed with the BPD did not fit BPD criteria.

J Clin Psychiatry 1984 Oct;45(10):441-2 "Treatment of attention deficit and borderline personality disorders with psychostimulants: case report"   A young woman with attention deficit disorder and BPD was successfully treated with methylphenidate (Ritalin).

Psychoneuroendocrinology 1984;9(3):311-4 "A dramatic behavioral response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone following low-dose neuroleptics" The administration of TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone - stimulates thyroid hormone production) dramatically improved mood and behavior after treatment with low dose neuroleptics. Neither high dose neuroleptics nor TRH alone had this effect. (Note: neuroleptics include medications like Haldol and Navane)

J Pers Assess 1985 Feb,49(1):47-55 "MMPI characteristics of borderline psychopathology in adolescent inpatients" MMPI test was 82.1% successful in correctly classifying borderline patients and 78.0% accurate in identifying non-borderline patients. (Note: this means approximately 20% are misdiagnosed)

1986-1989

Arch Gen Psychiatry 1986 Jan;43(1):20-30 "The Chestnut Lodge follow up study. III. Long-term outcome of borderline personalities" Outcome varied over time, BPD patients did best in the second decade after discharge.

Am J Psychiatry 1986 Feb;143(2):212-5 "Schizotypal symptoms in patients with borderline personality disorders" Schizotypal disorder symptoms were very common in those with the BPD.

J Clin Psychiatry 1986 Apr;47(4):196-8 "The demographic profile of the borderline personality disorder" A survey of 23 patients showed that most were young, white and female. The source of information was considered suspect by the authors, who recommended that their findings be confirmed by other studies.

Suicide Life Threat Behav 1986 Spring;16(1):28-39 "Selected behavioral features of patients with borderline personality traits" Irregular hospital discharges, frequent suicide attempts, first suicide attempt before age 40, violence inside and outside the hospital, and gradual deterioration in social and occupational functioning were found more often in patients with "high levels of borderline personality traits."

J Nerv Men Dis 1986 Jun;174(6):328-31 "An empirical study of borderline personality disorder and psychiatric suicides" In this study of 134 consecutive psychiatric suicides from 1961-1980 only 12% had the BPD.

Psychopathology 1986;19(1-2):68-79 "Prognosis of the borderline disorders" Wide variability, but in general better than in individuals with schizophrenia.

Acta Psychiatr Scand 1986 Mar;73(3):307-14
"Characterizing somatization, hypochondriasis, and hysteria and the borderline personality disorder" These symptoms are more common in individuals with dysthymia (low level depression) than in the BPD.

J Stud Alcohol 1986 May;47(3):196-200 "Borderline personality disorder and alcoholism treatment: a one year follow-up study" This study documents that short term treatment of alcoholics with "severe character pathology" can help them. (I strongly disagree - the BPD is not a character disorder, it's a medical one.)

Am J Psychiatry 1986 Aug;143(8):998-1003 "An examination of the borderline diagnosis in children" A study of 86 children aged 6-12 psychiatrically hospitalized showed some features of these symptoms when they went on to develop the BPD as an adult. Further research needed to draw any conclusions.

Psychopathology 1986;19(3):131-7 "Challenges of research with the borderline patient" "Clinical research of the borderline personality disorder can be difficult and challenging for investigator" due to the "core psychopathology and characteristic defense mechanisms," difficulty of completing studies, and 'classical' and 'total' counter transference.

Am J Psychiatry 1986 Oct;143(10):1287-9 "Pseudologia fantastica in the borderline patient" "An infrequently described clinical feature sometimes associated with borderline personality disorder is pseudologia fantastica" (pathological lying).

Am J Psychiatry 1986 Dec;143(12):1605-7 "Psychotic symptoms of borderline personality disorder" A study of 13 BPD patients showed "derealization" and "depersonalization" were common symptoms, but drug free hallucinations were also observed.

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