Studies show that people with BPD have chemical differences from so-called “normal” people. Dopamine (thinking), Serotonin (impulsivity and aggression), Acetylcholine (mood stability) and Nor epinephrine (sensitivity to the environment). These differences can be caused by genetically inheriting the abnormalities and there is also much research done on how situational trauma, either physical or emotional, can cause permanent abnormalities in itself. Stress plays a large role in serious relapses and can render a BPD person immobile. Current studies also show that some of the traits to BPD are a form of epilepsy.
Early environmental influences (anything from long-term isolation for an early infectious disease to severe physical or sexual abuse) can also be a cause of BPD. A person can also have triggers that bring on symptoms (such as divorce or adolescent traumas).
Some studies of the brain of BP sufferers have shown that the hippocampus and amygdala may be as much as 16% smaller in people with BPD and have suggested that experiences of trauma may lead to these neuroanatomical changes. The following Biological Abnormalities have also been noted:
· Immature Coordination of Neural Networks - Working from the hypothesis that people with BPD have impaired maturation of higher-order consciousness, research suggests that abnormalities may indicate a general failure of coordination among networks of the brain. BPD patients were found to exhibit neural response patterns of people younger than themselves, perhaps indicating a failure of maturation and development of sense of self.
· Abnormalities in Limbic System - MRI studies of those with BPD show abnormalities in limbic structures, particularly areas involved in negative affect (experience of feeling emotion).
· Abnormalities Related to Impulsivity - Patients with BPD or APD show reduced blood flow in the right lateral temporal cortex and the right prefrontal cortex. These areas of the brain have been linked to impulsivity.
· Serotonin Transporter Gene 5-HTT - Research has strongly implicated the serotonin transporter gene 5-HTT in development of BPD. Shorter alleles (pair of genes) have been associated with lower levels of serotonin and greater impulsive aggression.
Research has also suggested that BPD is mainly suffered by women, with 75-80% of those diagnosed being female. Recent research however is beginning to show that there is an equivalent amount of male sufferers, it is just that they aren't being diagnosed as a lot are ending up in jail for violence-related crimes. It is important that we realise that if BPD means we have poor impulse control, emotional regulation issues, and fear of abandonment, then it could explain why men are more likely to offend, especially when it comes to domestic violence issues.
While there is no way to definitely tell what caused BPD in a specific person, in the long run it isn’t really that important when it comes to dealing with the illness. It will be after the illness is under control as the issues that triggered it will need to be discussed with a therapist, but at the beginning it is not necessary to root out the cause of the illness.
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