educed Anterior and Posterior Cingulate Gray Matter n Borderline Personality Disorder rin

ackground: Structural abnormalities in prefrontal and cingulate gyrus regions—important in affective processing, impulse control nd cognition may contribute to the psychopathology of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Previous MRI studies examining olume have reported that compared with healthy controls, BPD patients have decreases in right anterior cingulate, no differences in orsolateral prefrontal cortex, and mixed findings for prefrontal cortex. We extended this investigation by examining gray and white atter volume of frontal and cingulate gyrus Brodmann areas (BAs) in a large group of patients and healthy controls. ethods: MRI scans were acquired in 50 BPD patients (n 13 with comorbid diagnosis of BPD and Schizotypal Personality Disorder SPD) and n 37 without SPD) and 50 healthy controls, and gray/white matter volume in cingulate gyrus and frontal lobe BAs were ssessed. Normal BPD and BPD subgroup comparisons were conducted. esults: Compared with controls, BPD patients showed reduced gray matter volume in BA 24 and 31 of the cingulate. BPD patients ithout comorbid SPD had isolated gray matter volume loss in BA 24, but were spared for BA 31 in contrast to BPD patients with SPD. here were no group differences in whole cingulate or frontal lobe volume. onclusions: The finding of more pervasive cingulate shrinkage in the patients with BPD and SPD comorbidity resembles recent bservations with the same methods in patients with schizophrenia. The pattern of reduced anterior and posterior cingulate gray atter volume in BPD patients, particularly those comorbid for SPD is consistent with the affective and attentional deficits observed n these personality disorders.