What causes BPD?

            At one point, BPD was believed to be caused by faulty parenting, and many families felt unfairly blamed. Our current understanding is that BPD has a strong biological component, and that it results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Recent research suggests that individuals suffering from BPD have imbalances in the neurotransmitters that regulate emotion and impulse control. Serotonin is one neurotransmitter believed to play a significant role in BPD. When individuals suffer from this type of an imbalance, life stresses can easily overwhelm their coping abilities.

            Although BPD may develop purely as a result of a biological “vulnerability,” research indicates that many individuals with BPD do have a history of traumatic early childhood experiences. About 50 – 70% of individuals with BPD report a history of childhood sexual abuse. Many also report histories of verbal or physical abuse. Often there is a pattern of inconsistent parenting and poorly met needs that may stem from parental addictions or mental illness. A history of early loss or traumatic abandonment is also common, possibly due to death of a parent or parental separation.

http://www.aamft.org/families/Consumer_Updates/Borderline.asp

Possible Origins and Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder
The cause of Borderline Personality disorder is still unclear. Research shows that chemical imbalances in the brain and other biological factors may be involved, such as heredity. Childhood trauma, such as abuse and neglect, have also been cited as possible causes. People with personality disorders often use “defense mechanisms”, or coping strategies, that allow them to deny responsibility for their feelings and actions. One defense is called “splitting” – putting some people on a pedestal while devaluing others. Another defense is called “projective identification” - which involves denying one’s feelings, attributing them to someone else, and then behaving in a way that causes the other person to respond in kind. For example, when the borderline person’s hostility is reciprocated, they can think and/or act as though it were not their own.

http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/borderline.cfm

Role of Child Abuse     Some researchers believe BPD patients are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress since many of their symptoms resemble those found in physically and sexually abused children and adults who have been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition that results from an overwhelming assault on the mind and emotions.  About 25% of patients with BPD are also given a diagnosis of PTSD.  Research suggests that BPD patients have often been subjected to physical and sexual abuse.  Because of child abuse, some borderline patients may be so vulnerable that they overreact to events that would be insignificant to most people.  Although borderline personality results from traumatic stress, not all studies have found an unusually high rate of child abuse.  The present consensus is that child abuse may be important in some cases, but is not a necessary cause of the borderline condition.

There may be more women who suffer from BPD as a result of an endocrinological and/or chemical predisposition toward the disorder, making women more biologically vulnerable.

Causes     Many researchers in the field today believe that for severe mental illness, such as BPD, there first must be an inherited biological vulnerability – or a genetic susceptibility.  Family pedigree studies have suggested that people with BPD may be non-specifically predisposed to poor regulation of impulses and mood.  Other preliminary studies suggest the disregulation may be related to a low threshold of excitability of the limbic system, and deficiencies in the central serotonin function may be linked to impulsive and hostile features associated to the disorder.  Most of the time, BPD, like schizophrenia and major depression, are caused by a combination of genetic risk and environmental circumstances.  Some studies have found high rates of brain injury or developmental brain damage in these patients, especially in the frontal lobes and limbic region, where injury often results in impulsiveness, irritability and emotional instability.  But most research is retrospective, beginning in adulthood, thus limiting any definitive results.  Overall, available research supports the disorder’s multifactorial origins.  It appears to be the result of a variety of nonspecific predisposing neurobiological, early developmental and socializing factors.

http://www.mhagstl.org/bpd.htm

Causes

As with other mental disorders, the causes of borderline personality disorder are complex. The name arose because of theories in the 1940s and 1950s that the disorder was on the border between neurosis and psychosis. But that view doesn't reflect current thinking. In fact, some advocacy groups have pressed for changing the name, such as calling it emotional regulation disorder.

Meanwhile, the cause of BPD remains under investigation, and there's no known way to prevent it. Possible causes include:

§                  Genetics. Some studies of twins and families suggest that personality disorders may be inherited.

§                  Environmental factors. Many people with borderline personality disorder have a history of childhood abuse, neglect and separation from caregivers or loved ones.

§                  Brain abnormalities. Some research shows changes in certain areas of the brain involved in emotion regulation, impulsivity and aggression. In addition, certain brain chemicals that help regulate mood, such as serotonin, may not function properly.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/borderline-personality-disorder/DS00442/DSECTION=3

BPD Causes

Borderline personality disorder has as many causes as there are people who suffer from it. The disorder may be caused by a combination of a person's parental upbringing, their personality and social development, as well as genetic and biological factors. While the exact cause is not yet known, it is understood that the disorder most often manifests during increased times of stress and interpersonal difficulties in the person's life.

There is a common misconception that people with this disorder are weak or should be able to "snap out of it." It's important to understand that those who suffer from borderline personality disorder are not consciously holding themselves back from correcting their behavior.

http://www.insightpros.com/borderlinepersonalitydisorder/

What Causes BPD?

We are only beginning to understand the causes of BPD. As in most mental disorders, no single factor explains its development. Rather, multiple risk factors, which can be biological, psychological, or social, play a role in its etiology.

The biological factors in BPD probably consist of inborn temperamental abnormalities. Impulsivity and emotional instability are unusually intense in these patients, and these traits are known to be heritable. Similar characteristics can also be found in the close relatives of patients with BPD. Research suggests that the impulsivity that characterizes borderline personality might be associated with decreased serotonin activity in the brain.

The psychological factors in this illness vary a great deal. Some borderline patients describe highly traumatic experiences in their childhood, such as physical or sexual abuse. Others describe severe emotional neglect. Many borderline patients have parents with impulsive or depressive personality traits. However, some patients report a fairly normal childhood. Most likely, any of these scenarios is possible. Borderline pathology can arise from many different pathways.

The social factors in BPD reflect many of the problems of modern society. We live in a fragmented world, in which extended families and communities no longer provide the support they once did. In contemporary urban society, children have more difficulty meeting their needs for attachment and identity. Those who are vulnerable to BPD may have a particularly strong need for an environment providing consistent expectations and emotional security.

Most likely, BPD develops when all these risk factors are present. Children who are at risk by virtue of their temperament can still grow up perfectly normally if provided with a supportive environment. However, when the family and community cannot meet the special needs of children at risk, they may develop serious impulsivity and emotional instability.

http://www.jwoodphd.com/borderline_personality_disorder.htm