Negative reward expectations in Borderline Personality Disorder patients: Neurophysiological evidence

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients present profound disturbances in affect regulation and impulse control which could reflect a dysfunction in reward-related processes. The current study investigated these processes in a sample of 18 BPD patients and 18 matched healthy controls, using an...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Vega, Daniel, Soto, Angel, Amengual, Julià L., Ribas, Joan, Torrubia, Rafael, Rodríguez Fornells, Antoni, Marco Pallarés, Josep
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2013
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/181455
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/181455
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Trastorns límits de la personalitat
Neurofisiologia
Reforç (Psicologia)
Borderline personality disorder
Neurophysiology
Reinforcement (Psychology)
Description
Summary:Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients present profound disturbances in affect regulation and impulse control which could reflect a dysfunction in reward-related processes. The current study investigated these processes in a sample of 18 BPD patients and 18 matched healthy controls, using an event-related brain potentials methodology. Results revealed a reduction in the amplitude of the Feedback-Related Negativity of BPD patients, which is a neurophysiological index of the impact of negative feedback in reward-related tasks. This reduction, in the effect of negative feedback in BPD patients, was accompanied by a different behavioral pattern of risk choice compared to healthy participants. These findings confirm a dysfunctional reward system in BDP patients, which might compromise their capacity to build positive expectations of future rewards and decision making.