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MU
Researchers Explore Borderline Personality Disorders
Substance abuse and poor self-image are among
the hallmarks of borderline personality disorder (BPD), which
affects one in 30 women in the United States. Now, a study conducted
by researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia and the
University of Northern Iowa, may provide a warning sign for women
who are prone to developing the disorder.
The disorder, characterized by a pattern of
instability in relationships and self-image, includes symptoms
such as impulsivity, suicidal behavior, and difficulty controlling
anger. David Geary,
professor of psychology
at MU, and Catherine DeSoto, assistant professor of psychology
at UNI, found that fluctuations in estrogen levels during the
menstrual cycle may significantly worsen symptoms for women who
are at risk for developing the disorder. It is the first study
to link estrogen levels and BPD.
"The critical thing to understand is
that it is not how much estrogen you have in the body, but the
level at which it fluctuates that is related to BPD,” Geary
said. “The combination of being prone to the disorder and
fluctuating estrogen levels is what produces the symptoms.”
Three studies were conducted to determine
the link between estrogen and the disorder. Researchers first
studied women at certain points in their cycles and found that
when estrogen is rapidly increasing, women are more prone to BPD
symptoms, such as rapid changes in self-evaluation and relationships.
The second study measured levels of estradiol, the primary estrogen
that fluctuates in the cycle, and found that women who showed
the greatest changes in estrogen from one week to the next had
the greatest number of BPD symptoms. Finally, the researchers
found that women who were at risk for BPD showed a significant
increase in symptoms within weeks of starting on oral contraceptives.
The researchers emphasize that the findings only apply to women
who are already at risk for the disorder.
“These results are significant because
they suggest that a previously unknown factor may play a role
in the development of BPD,” DeSoto said. “If estrogen
fluctuations exacerbate symptoms, this may help explain why more
women are diagnosed, and also suggest new possibilities for treatment.
In addition, the finding that there is a worsening of symptoms
upon commencement of oral contraceptives suggests the pill may
not be the best contraceptive choice for women who are at risk.”
Further study is required to determine the
brain mechanisms by which estrogen fluctuations may be affecting
symptoms. Future studies also will determine whether hospitalization
for the disorder is more common in women during times in their
menstrual cycle when estrogen levels are shifting most rapidly.
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Last Update:
November 19, 2007
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