Biological and Neurobehavioral Studies of Borderline Personality Disorde

Biological and Neurobehavioral Studies of Borderline Personality Disorder is the first book to examine exclusively the biological and neurobehavioral aspects of borderline personality disorder. It provides an overview of current research trends in this area and reviews a wide range of studies employing such sophisticated techniques as pharmacological probes, structural and functional brain imaging, and neuropsychological tests. Separate chapters explore the biological underpinnings of dimensions of psychopathology frequently found among borderline patients: impulsivity, aggression, affective lability, depression, panic and/or anxiety states, neurological dysfunction, self-injurious behavior, substance abuse, and transient dissociative phenomena. Also examined are the relationships of borderline personality disorder to Axis-20I affective, schizophrenic, and impulsive spectrum disorders; anxiety and panic disorders; early abuse, limbic system dysfunction, and posttraumatic stress disorder; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and some types of traumatic brain injury; other disorders characterized by behavioral or cognitive dyscontrol (e.g., eating disorders, obsessional disorders); and substance abuse disorders. The final chapters examine the implications of these studies for clinicians' evaluation, care, and pharmacotherapeutic treatment of their borderline patients and reflect on the future course of biological and neurobehavioral research in borderline personality disorder.