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Borderline Personality Disorder: Refinements in Phenotypic and Cognitive Profiling

  • Personality and Impulse Control Disorders (R Lee, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Advancements in taxometric and dimensional approaches to personality psychopathology have pushed for refinements to the borderline personality disorder (BPD) phenotype, but proposed revisions to the diagnosis in major nosological systems hinge in part on evidence to support their validity. We review recent phenotypic and cognitive research on BPD and consider ways that changes to the phenotype may be validated using cognitive measures.

Recent Findings

Phenotypic research on BPD has identified core symptom dimensions underlying the DSM diagnosis, which also aggregate in families. While a unidimensional model of the disorder has been found in some studies, latent subgroups within the diagnosis have also been uncovered. Cognitive findings reveal deficits primarily in executive functions relevant to self-regulation but also in episodic memory and attentional abilities.

Summary

Cognitive functioning should be considered as a potential validator of proposed changes or refinements to the BPD phenotype, including categorical and dimensional conceptualizations.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (123413 and MSH130177).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Jacob W. Koudys, Tahira Gulamani & Anthony C. Ruocco

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  1. Jacob W. Koudys
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  2. Tahira Gulamani
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  3. Anthony C. Ruocco
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Correspondence to Anthony C. Ruocco.

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Dr. Ruocco reports grants from Canadian Institutes of Health Research during the conduct of this study.

Mr. Koudys and Ms. Gulamani have nothing to disclose.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Personality and Impulse Control Disorders

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Koudys, J.W., Gulamani, T. & Ruocco, A.C. Borderline Personality Disorder: Refinements in Phenotypic and Cognitive Profiling. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 5, 102–112 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-018-0145-x

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