Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity
Abstract Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is is a type B personality disorder primarily characterized by a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, a distorted self-concept, and intense emotional reactions, associated with extreme and opposing mental and behavioral states, which coexist...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85989-x |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850184502167470080 |
|---|---|
| author | Francesca D’Adda Giovanni Sighinolfi Micaela Mitolo Mauro Scala Lucia Guidi Lorenzo Motta Lorenzo Cirignotta David Neil Manners Caterina Tonon Raffaele Lodi Marco Menchetti |
| author_facet | Francesca D’Adda Giovanni Sighinolfi Micaela Mitolo Mauro Scala Lucia Guidi Lorenzo Motta Lorenzo Cirignotta David Neil Manners Caterina Tonon Raffaele Lodi Marco Menchetti |
| author_sort | Francesca D’Adda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is is a type B personality disorder primarily characterized by a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, a distorted self-concept, and intense emotional reactions, associated with extreme and opposing mental and behavioral states, which coexist and lead to destructive behaviors such as self-harm, commonly recurring over time.. The Personality Inventory for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fifth Edition (PID-5) provides a dimensional assessment of maladaptive domains associated with personality disorders, improving the understanding of their complex clinical presentations. While altered brain functional connectivity (FC) has been reported in BPD, neurobiological-clinical correlations remain debated. This study explores the relationship between the personality dimensions of BPD and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) FC. Twenty-eight patients with BPD (6M/22F, 23.7 ± 3.4 years) and twenty-eight matched healthy controls (6M/22F, 24.3 ± 2.8 years) underwent a psychiatric assessment, including the PID-5, and an MRI protocol including rs-fMRI. Functional data were analyzed via graph theory to derive network properties at global and nodal levels, which were correlated with the PID-5 subdomains. The results revealed impairments across all personality trait facets. Patients had lower global connectivity and compromised centrality of several limbic structures and frontotemporal regions. Significant correlations were found between separation insecurity and global efficiency (R = 0.60, adjusted-p = 0.035) and between depressivity and the degree of the left middle temporal gyrus (R = 0.69, adjusted-p = 0.023) in females. These findings suggest links between negative affectivity traits, in particular separation insecurity and depressivity, and specific brain network dysfunctions in BPD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-96ced2006cb64dc9b81cec49ae4c50e8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-96ced2006cb64dc9b81cec49ae4c50e82025-08-20T02:17:01ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-85989-xNeurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivityFrancesca D’Adda0Giovanni Sighinolfi1Micaela Mitolo2Mauro Scala3Lucia Guidi4Lorenzo Motta5Lorenzo Cirignotta6David Neil Manners7Caterina Tonon8Raffaele Lodi9Marco Menchetti10Department of Mental Health and Pathological Dependencies, Local Health Authority of BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaDepartment of Medicine and Surgery (DIMEC), University of BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of BolognaAbstract Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is is a type B personality disorder primarily characterized by a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, a distorted self-concept, and intense emotional reactions, associated with extreme and opposing mental and behavioral states, which coexist and lead to destructive behaviors such as self-harm, commonly recurring over time.. The Personality Inventory for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fifth Edition (PID-5) provides a dimensional assessment of maladaptive domains associated with personality disorders, improving the understanding of their complex clinical presentations. While altered brain functional connectivity (FC) has been reported in BPD, neurobiological-clinical correlations remain debated. This study explores the relationship between the personality dimensions of BPD and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) FC. Twenty-eight patients with BPD (6M/22F, 23.7 ± 3.4 years) and twenty-eight matched healthy controls (6M/22F, 24.3 ± 2.8 years) underwent a psychiatric assessment, including the PID-5, and an MRI protocol including rs-fMRI. Functional data were analyzed via graph theory to derive network properties at global and nodal levels, which were correlated with the PID-5 subdomains. The results revealed impairments across all personality trait facets. Patients had lower global connectivity and compromised centrality of several limbic structures and frontotemporal regions. Significant correlations were found between separation insecurity and global efficiency (R = 0.60, adjusted-p = 0.035) and between depressivity and the degree of the left middle temporal gyrus (R = 0.69, adjusted-p = 0.023) in females. These findings suggest links between negative affectivity traits, in particular separation insecurity and depressivity, and specific brain network dysfunctions in BPD.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85989-xBorderline personality disorderPersonality inventory for DSM-5Graph analysisFunctional magnetic resonance imagingFunctional connectivity |
| spellingShingle | Francesca D’Adda Giovanni Sighinolfi Micaela Mitolo Mauro Scala Lucia Guidi Lorenzo Motta Lorenzo Cirignotta David Neil Manners Caterina Tonon Raffaele Lodi Marco Menchetti Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity Scientific Reports Borderline personality disorder Personality inventory for DSM-5 Graph analysis Functional magnetic resonance imaging Functional connectivity |
| title | Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity |
| title_full | Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity |
| title_fullStr | Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity |
| title_short | Neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity |
| title_sort | neurobiological correlates of personality dimensions in borderline personality disorder using graph analysis of functional connectivity |
| topic | Borderline personality disorder Personality inventory for DSM-5 Graph analysis Functional magnetic resonance imaging Functional connectivity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85989-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescadadda neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT giovannisighinolfi neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT micaelamitolo neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT mauroscala neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT luciaguidi neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT lorenzomotta neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT lorenzocirignotta neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT davidneilmanners neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT caterinatonon neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT raffaelelodi neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity AT marcomenchetti neurobiologicalcorrelatesofpersonalitydimensionsinborderlinepersonalitydisorderusinggraphanalysisoffunctionalconnectivity |