Borderline Personality Disorder

RationaleClozapine is a unique medication with a potential role in the treatment of severe borderline personality disorder (BPD).ObjectivesThe review examines the effectiveness of clozapine as a medication for management for severe BPD with high risk of suicide, violence or imprisonment, and aims to help guide clinical practice in managing severe BPD.MethodsA database search of the terms "Clozapine" AND "BPD"; "Antipsychotics" AND "BPD"; "Clozapine" AND "Borderline Personality Disorder"; and "Antipsychotics" AND "Borderline Personality Disorder" were performed in CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, PsychINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. Full-text articles of clinical clozapine use for BPD were included for review.ResultsA total of 24 articles consisting of 1 randomised control trial, 10 non-controlled trials, and 13 case reports were identified. Most of the studies reported benefits from clozapine when used for severe BPD. Many of the studies focused on clozapine use in BPD patients at high risk of suicide. Results from these non-controlled and case reports support the use of clozapine in patients with severe BPD at high risk of suicide.ConclusionThere may be a role for clozapine in treating severe treatment refractory BPD, especially for those patients at high risk of suicide and frequent hospitalisations.

ImportanceA decline in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior is often viewed as an indication of mental health improvement when treating adolescents and young adults with borderline personality pathology. However, evidence shows that an initial decrease in NSSI behavior does not always signal recovery, and potential symptom shifting needs to be considered.ObjectiveTo examine the codevelopment of NSSI and substance use in adolescents and young adults receiving treatment for NSSI behavior and to explore whether shifting from NSSI behavior to substance use is associated with emerging or persistent borderline personality pathology.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study used data from the AtR!Sk study. The study included a consecutive sample of adolescents and young adults with NSSI behavior who presented to a specialized outpatient clinic for early intervention of borderline personality pathology. A baseline assessment (between May 3, 2016, and December 19, 2019) and 2 annual follow-up assessments were conducted. Data were analyzed from April 15, 2023, to September 5, 2024.Main outcomes and measuresThe frequencies of NSSI behavior and substance use were self-reported. Diagnostic interviews were carried out to assess borderline personality pathology. Growth mixture models were specified to identify latent classes with different joint trajectories of NSSI behavior and substance use, and the classes were compared for the number of fulfilled borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnostic criteria.ResultsOverall, 277 adolescents and young adults (249 [89.9%] female; mean [SD] age at baseline, 14.9 [1.5] years) were included in the study (number at first follow-up, 135; number at second follow-up, 82). Three latent classes were extracted from the data. A decline in NSSI behavior following treatment was common. Class 1 (estimated class count: 32.5; 11.7% of participants) was further characterized by a decline in substance use; class 2 (210.1; 75.9% of participants), by a moderate increase in substance use; and class 3 (34.4; 12.4% of participants), by a strong increase in substance use. The number of fulfilled BPD diagnostic criteria in class 1 (mean [SE], 4.64 [0.40]; comparison: χ2, 11.64; P Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of adolescent patients with NSSI behavior, a decline in this behavior was commonly paired with an increase in substance use. This finding suggests that a decrease in NSSI behavior alone may be insufficient to indicate treatment success. Monitoring the joint trajectories of NSSI behavior and substance use may be a promising avenue toward early detection and targeted treatment of adolescent borderline personality pathology.

ImportanceClinical theory and behavioral studies suggest that people experiencing suicidal crisis are often unable to find constructive solutions or incorporate useful information into their decisions, resulting in premature convergence on suicide and neglect of better alternatives. However, prior studies of suicidal behavior have not formally examined how individuals resolve the tradeoffs between exploiting familiar options and exploring potentially superior alternatives.ObjectiveTo investigate exploration and exploitation in suicidal behavior from the formal perspective of reinforcement learning.Design, setting, and participantsTwo case-control behavioral studies of exploration-exploitation of a large 1-dimensional continuous space and a 21-day prospective ambulatory study of suicidal ideation were conducted between April 2016 and March 2022. Participants were recruited from inpatient psychiatric units, outpatient clinics, and the community in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and underwent laboratory and ambulatory assessments. Adults diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and midlife and late-life major depressive disorder (MDD) were included, with each sample including demographically equated groups with a history of high-lethality suicide attempts, low-lethality suicide attempts, individuals with BPD or MDD but no suicide attempts, and control individuals without psychiatric disorders. The MDD sample also included a subgroup with serious suicidal ideation.Main outcomes and measuresBehavioral (model-free and model-derived) indices of exploration and exploitation, suicide attempt lethality (Beck Lethality Scale), and prospectively assessed suicidal ideation.ResultsThe BPD group included 171 adults (mean [SD] age, 30.55 [9.13] years; 135 [79%] female). The MDD group included 143 adults (mean [SD] age, 62.03 [6.82] years; 81 [57%] female). Across the BPD (χ23 = 50.68; P Conclusions and relevanceThe findings suggest that narrow exploration and inability to abandon inferior options are associated with serious suicidal behavior and chronic suicidal thoughts. By contrast, individuals in this study who engaged in low-lethality suicidal behavior displayed a low threshold for taking potentially disadvantageous actions.

Mentalization-based therapy for adolescents (MBT-A) is a treatment modality with an evidence base for young people struggling with borderline personality disorder, depression, and self-harm. Recently, several innovations to MBT-A have been described to expand its utility to new populations. In this paper, we first describe the basic structure of MBT-A and its interventions. Second, we describe developmental considerations of working with adolescents. Third, we describe recent innovations to MBT-A which expand its utility to new populations: (1) nosological reform toward a dimensional model of psychopathology, (2) mentalizing as a transdiagnostic factor for all adolescents receiving psychotherapy regardless of specific disorder or treatment modality, and (3) an explicit focus on the social context of the adolescent outside of the therapy room. We use case material to demonstrate the basic MBT-A structure and highlight the recent innovations which expand its utility.