Corpus callosum abnormalities in women with borderline personality disorder and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

• Published in: Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience 2007-11, Vol.32 (6), p.417-422
• Main Authors: Nicolas, Rüsch., MD, Eileen, Luders., PhD, Klaus, Lieb., MD, Roland, Zahn., MD, Dieter, Ebert., MD, Thompson, Paul M., PhD, Toga, Arthur W., PhD, Ludger Tebartz, van Elst., MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Biological and medical sciences; Borderline personality disorder; Borderline Personality Disorder - epidemiology; Borderline Personality Disorder - physiopathology; Child; Child abuse & neglect; Child Abuse, Sexual - statistics & numerical data; Comorbidity; Corpus callosum; Corpus Callosum - physiopathology; Diagnosis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Limbic System - physiopathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical Education; Medical sciences; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Parietal Lobe - physiopathology; Personality disorders; Prefrontal Cortex - physiopathology; Properties; Psychiatry; Psychoanalysis; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Research Paper; Sex crimes; Studies
• ISSN: 1180-4882; 1488-2434
• DOI: 10.1016/S1180-4882(07)50074-0

Objective Decreased brain volumes in prefrontal, limbic and parietal areas have been found in women with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Recent models suggest impaired structural and functional connectivity in this condition. To investigate this, we studied the thickness of the corpus callosum, the largest connecting fibre bundle in the human brain. Methods We acquired magnetic resonance imaging scans from 20 healthy women and 20 women with BPD and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. A novel computational mesh-based method was applied to measure callosal thickness at high spatial resolution. Results Women with BPD had a thinner isthmus of the corpus callosum, compared with healthy women. In the patient group, a history of childhood sexual abuse was associated with a thinner posterior body of the corpus callosum. Conclusion Interhemispheric structural connectivity involving parietal and temporal areas may be impaired in women with BPD and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.