Aberrant connectivity of resting-state networks in borderline personality disorder

Abstract

Background: Several functional neuroimaging studies have reported regionally abnormal activation of the frontal cortex in individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) during cognitive and affective task performance. However, little is known about neural function in individuals with BPD during the resting state. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigated the functional connectivity of prefrontal and limbic networks in patients with BPD. Methods: Between January 2009 and March 2010, we investigated patients with BPD according to DSM-IV criteria and healthy controls by means of resting-state fMRI. The data were analyzed using a spatial group independent component analysis, and random effects t tests were used to compare spatial components between groups (p < 0.005, uncorrected). Results: There were 17 women with BPD and 17 female healthy controls enrolled in this study. Within a network comprising cortical midline regions ("default mode network"), patients with BPD showed an increase in functional connectivity in the left frontopolar cortex (FPC) and the left insula, whereas decreased connectivity was found in the left cuneus. Within a network comprising predominantly right lateral prefrontal and bilateral parietal regions, patients with BPD showed decreased connectivity of the left inferior parietal lobule and the right middle temporal cortex compared with healthy controls. Two networks comprising lateral prefrontal and cingulate regions did not exhibit significant between-group differences. We found correlations between functional connectivity of the FPC and measures of impulsivity as well as between connectivity of the insula/cuneus and dissociation tension. Limitations: Co-occurrent axis I disorders and medication use in this sample of patients with BPD have to be considered as potential limitations. Conclusion: These data suggest that abnormal functional connectivity of temporally coherent resting-state networks may underlie certain symptom clusters in patients with BPD

Dysregulation between emotion and theory of mind networks in borderline personality disorder

“…The researchers opine that, with regard to the increased connectivity observed in the IFG, these findings may have implications for the processing of internal thoughts, selfreferential information, and interpersonal interactions, and may in the future be found to be a potential biological marker for the disorder (Wolf et al, 2011). Regarding the increased connectivity with the insula, the researchers suggest that abnormal connectivity may be related to both dissociative symptoms and decreased pain sensitivity observed in BPD patients (Wolf et al, 2011). …”

“…Regions within one particular neural network, the default mode network (DMN), have been found to display their greatest levels of activity when at rest, and decreased activity in some DMN sub-regions during task-based stimulation (Sheline et al, 2010;Zhang and Li, 2012b). During these periods of "active rest", the DMN is thought to be involved in internal processes such as selfreferential processing, inner speech, emotional control, episodic memory, and ToM processes (Spreng et al, 2009;Wolf et al, 2011). Research has shown the constituent regions of the DMN to include the medial temporal lobe, the medial prefrontal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex, the precuneus, and the medial, lateral, and inferior parietal cortex (Broyd et al, 2009;Spreng et al, 2009;Wolf et al, 2011).…”

“…During these periods of "active rest", the DMN is thought to be involved in internal processes such as selfreferential processing, inner speech, emotional control, episodic memory, and ToM processes (Spreng et al, 2009;Wolf et al, 2011). Research has shown the constituent regions of the DMN to include the medial temporal lobe, the medial prefrontal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex, the precuneus, and the medial, lateral, and inferior parietal cortex (Broyd et al, 2009;Spreng et al, 2009;Wolf et al, 2011). Surprisingly, though interest in the DMN is on the rise generally, and given the correspondence between the DMN functional roles and the dysfunction observed in BPD, there remains a dearth of research investigating abnormalities in DMN functioning in BPD.…”

“…An earlier study explored prefrontal and limbic resting state networks in BPD patients without any external stimulus. To our knowledge, it is the only study thus far to explicitly examine DMN connectivity in BPD, yielding results that showed an increase in functional connectivity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the left insula, and decreased connectivity in the left cuneus in the BPD group (Wolf et al, 2011). The researchers opine that, with regard to the increased connectivity observed in the IFG, these findings may have implications for the processing of internal thoughts, selfreferential information, and interpersonal interactions, and may in the future be found to be a potential biological marker for the disorder (Wolf et al, 2011).…”

“…To our knowledge, it is the only study thus far to explicitly examine DMN connectivity in BPD, yielding results that showed an increase in functional connectivity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the left insula, and decreased connectivity in the left cuneus in the BPD group (Wolf et al, 2011). The researchers opine that, with regard to the increased connectivity observed in the IFG, these findings may have implications for the processing of internal thoughts, selfreferential information, and interpersonal interactions, and may in the future be found to be a potential biological marker for the disorder (Wolf et al, 2011). Regarding the increased connectivity with the insula, the researchers suggest that abnormal connectivity may be related to both dissociative symptoms and decreased pain sensitivity observed in BPD patients (Wolf et al, 2011).…”