Background
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a high prevalence of comorbid
psychiatric disorders, including major depression (MD). The aim of this study was
to examine whether a co-occurrence of MD is associated with structural changes in
the amygdala of BPD patients.
Methods
Twenty-five right-handed, female patients with BPD and 25 matched healthy control
subjects were examined. Diagnoses of BPD and MD were made according to DSM IV. Depressive
symptomatology was determined with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). Magnetic
resonance imaging scans were performed with 1.5 T Magnetom Vision (Siemens, Erlangen,
Germany). The software program “BRAINS” was applied for brain volumetry and segmentation.
The amygdala was delineated as “region of interest.”
Results
Comparison of amygdala volumes between the whole group of BPD patients and control
subjects revealed no significant difference. Amygdala volumes in both hemispheres
were significantly larger in BPD patients with MD compared with those without MD.
There was a significant correlation in BPD patients between left amygdala volume and
depressive symptoms as measured by HAMD.
Conclusions
Correlation of amygdala volume with depression in BPD patients might indicate a causal
relationship. Future studies should clarify whether amygdala enlargement is a risk
factor for MD in BPD patients or a consequence of the affective disorder.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 14, 2006
Accepted:
November 7,
2005
Received in revised form:
October 18,
2005
Received:
April 29,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
