Effects of personal space intrusion in affective contexts: an fMRI investigation with women suffering from borderline personality disorder.

ABSTRACT: The amygdala and the parietal cortex play a key role in the neural representation of personal space. Although the concept of personal space is clinically very relevant for borderline personality disorder (BPD), especially in affective contexts, it has not been investigated thus far with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this fMRI study, 25 female BPD patients and 25 healthy women were exposed to photos of angry, disgusted and neutral facial expressions. All stimuli were once shown as still photos, and once were zoomed-in in order to simulate intrusion into one's own personal space. Approaching faces generally provoked activation of the amygdala and the somatosensory cortex. BPD patients showed an increased activation within both regions, but only toward approaching disgusted

SUBMITTER: Schienle A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4590542 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature