The association between neurocognitive functioning and clinical features of borderline personality disorder

Objective: To investigate the relationship between neurocognitive profiles and clinical manifestations of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Methods: Forty-five patients diagnosed with BPD and 35 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The BPD group was evaluated with the Borderline Personality Inventory for dissociative, impulsivity and suicidal dimensions. The Verbal Memory Processes Test and the Cambridge Neurophysiological Assessment Battery were administered to both the BPD and healthy control groups. Results: BPD patients differed from controls in sustained attention, facial emotion recognition, and deteriorated verbal memory function. A model consisting of the Dissociative Experiences Scale - Taxon (DES-T), motor impulsivity and Scale for Suicidal Behavior scores explained 52% of the variance in Borderline Personality Inventory scores. It was detected that motor impulsivity, decision-making and recognizing sadness may significantly predict DES-T scores, and response inhibition and facial emotion recognition scores may significantly predict impulsivity. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the disassociation, impulsivity, and suicidality dimensions are sufficient to represent the clinical manifestations of BPD, that they are related to neurocognitive differences, and that they interact with clinical features.

The association between neurocognitive functioning and clinical features of borderline personality disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between neurocognitive profiles and clinical manifestations of borderline personality disorder (BPD). METHODS: Forty-five patients diagnosed with BPD and 35 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The BPD group was evaluated with the Borderline Personality Inventory for dissociative, impulsivity and suicidal dimensions. The Verbal Memory Processes Test and the Cambridge Neurophysiological Assessment Battery were administered to both the BPD and healthy control groups. RESULTS: BPD patients differed from controls in sustained attention, facial emotion recognition, and deteriorated verbal memory function. A model consisting of the Dissociative Experiences Scale - Taxon (DES-T), motor impulsivity and Scale for Suicidal Behavior scores explained 52% of the variance in Borderline Personality Inventory scores. It was detected that motor impulsivity, decision-making and recognizing sadness may significantly predict DES-T scores, and response inhibition and facial emotion recognition scores may significantly predict impulsivity. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that the disassociation, impulsivity, and suicidality dimensions are sufficient to represent the clinical manifestations of BPD, that they are related to neurocognitive differences, and that they interact with clinical features.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-Somatic, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-Somatic, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms (PHQ-SADS) developed by Kroenke, Spitzer, and Williams. METHOD: This study sample consisted of 200 outpatients admitted to Erenköy Mental Health Training and Research Hospital, Erenköy Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Hospital, and Kartal Training and Research Hospital and 240 graduate students in Karadeniz Technical University. Participants were administered the 90-item Symptoms Checklist (SCL-90R) and the 7-item Whiteley Index, along with the PHQ-SADS. A month later, the PHQ-SADS was readministered to 60 of the students. To investigate the internal consistency of the scale and its subscales, corrected item-total correlations were examined to establish the effect on the Cronbach coefficients and internal consistency of each item of the subscales. Test-retest correlations were also analyzed for reliability. Factorial structure was investigated using principal component analysis. The validity of distinguishing congruent and specific groups was also investigated for validity. RESULTS: Total scores on the scale showed an adequate test-retest consistency (r = 0.54, 0.52, and 0.76, respectively). All items showed adequate correlations (r > 0.26) in the test-retest analysis. Cronbach α values were 0.86 (control), 0.93 (patient), and 0.92 (total) on the test of internal consistency. When the questions were analyzed individually, the item-total correlation for item 7 of the PHQ somatization subscale was found to be inadequate in the control group. Exploratory factorial analysis and varimax rotation results showed that the scale provided a 4-factor structure. In the validity analysis, a significant difference between the patient and the control group mean values was determined. The SCL-90R, 7-item Whiteley Index, and SCL-90R somatization subscales were found to be sufficiently related to the number of symptoms to establish criterion-related validity. CONCLUSION: Findings with respect to internal consistency, test-retest consistency, item-total correlation, factorial structure, distinguishing validity for specific groups, and criterion-related validity for the PHQ-SADS show that the scale is acceptable in terms of validity and reliability for the Turkish population.

Relation of temperament and character properties with clinical presentation of bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the underlying temperament and character properties of patients with bipolar disorder and explore the possible connections between these properties and clinical presentation of the illness. METHODS: The sociodemographic and clinical properties of 90 patients with bipolar disorder, who were euthymic according to Young Mania Rating Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale scores, were recorded. Their temperament and character features were evaluated by using Temperament and Character Inventory and results were compared with 90 age- and sex-matched healthy controls and between patients with different clinical properties. RESULTS: Patients' scores on subscales of self-directedness and cooperativeness were significantly lower compared with controls. Significant associations were found between Temperament and Character Inventory subtitles and comorbid personality disorder, number of episodes, subtype of the first episode, rapid cycling, and previous suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Temperament and character features of patients with euthymic bipolar disorder show some significant differences compared to the healthy population and may vary according to different clinical presentations.

[The relationship between psychological factors and health care-seeking behavior in fibromyalgia patients]. / Fibromiyaljide Tedavi Arayisinin Psikolojik Etkenlerle Iliskisi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine whether cognitive factors, such as attributions, expectations, and anger management style, contribute to the decision to seek medical care for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). METHOD: We recruited 3 groups of subjects; patients from a FMS tertiary care setting, community residents with FMS who had not sought medical care for their FMS symptoms (nonpatients), and healthy controls. In all, 38 FMS nonpatients were compared to 37 FMS patients and 41 healthy controls on measures of anxiety, depression, anger, locus of control (LOC), attributions, pain intensity, and disability, as well as demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The prevalence of FMS non-patients was 2%. There was a significant difference between the 3 groups on the measures of anxiety, depression, LOC, and somatic and normalizing subscale scores of the symptom interpretation questionnaire (SIQ). FMS nonpatients, relative to FMS patients and healthy controls, were characterized by a significantly higher measure of both LOC and normalizing subscale score on the SIQ. There were no differences between the 2 FMS groups in demographical percentage and other psychometric measures. A hierarchical logistic regression model showed that the number of tender points, normalizing attribution style, and depression were independent predictors of help-seeking behavior. CONCLUSION: The rate of psychiatric and medical history is not related to the FMS syndrome. Expectations and a normalizing attribution style may contribute to help-seeking behavior for FMS.