title: Orbitofrontal dysfunction related to depressive symptomatology in subjects with borderline personality disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to explore the relationships of fronto-limbic dysfunction with the clinical features of borderline personality disorder (BPD), the authors investigated brain electrophysiological activity in BPD patients following stimulation with emotionally arousing images.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen non-medicated patients with borderline personality disorder were studied with magneto-encephalography. Regional cortical activities were obtained by minimum norm estimate (MNE) of steady-state visual evoked fields (ssVEFs). Linear regression models were conducted to explore clinical correlates of brain activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although no interaction group × picture category × brain region was found, a significant interaction group × brain region appeared for orbito-frontal cortex (OFC). BPD patients showed significantly reduced magnetocortical activity in left OFC across all picture categories (F = 26.4; p<.05; F = 31.4). Left OFC activity was inversely correlated with depression score in the BDI (r: -0.48, p < 0.05), with score in the Cornell Dysthymia rating scale (r: -0.52, p < 0.05) and with the number of criteria met for depressive personality disorder (r: -0.44, p < 0.05). Left orbitofrontal activity was also inversely correlated with the global score in the GAF (r-0.63, p < 0.01). No correlations were found between OFC activity and impulsivity or global severity of BPD symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abnormal functioning at orbitofrontal areas in BPD could be related to the presence of affective symptomatology and is associated with greater functional deterioration of patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz-Marsá
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Ibor
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moratti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: López-Ibor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003863:Depression; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004644:Emotions; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult