A-85 Differences in Cerebral Blood Perfusion with Individuals Diagnosed with Cluster B Personality Disorders

Abstract

Abstract Objective To identify regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) differences between individuals with DSM-IV diagnosis of Cluster B Personality Disorders (PDB) and healthy controls. Method Healthy controls (n = 81, Mage = 41.9, 53.0% female, 42.0% Caucasian) and persons diagnosed by psychiatric examination with PDB (n=, Mage = 34.12, 71.5% female, 69.8% Caucasian) were selected from a deidentified adult clinical outpatient database. Those with comorbid diagnoses were included. Significant differences (alpha = 0.005) were found for age [t(195) = −3.62], gender [χ2(2) = 7.1], and race [χ2(12) = 23.82] between groups. Mean age [t(523) = 2.09, p = 0.037) and gender [t(532) = −2.653, p = 0.008] different significantly between groups. No significant mean difference was found for education [t(523) = 0.832, p = 0.406]. Results Significant rCBF differences were noted in the cerebellum [left:F(1,192) = 10.5; right:F(1,192) = 4.6], limbic system [left:F(1,192) = 7.8; right:F(1,192) = 5.0], and basal ganglia [left:F(1,192) = 12.3; right:F(1,192) = 6.7]. Group means comparisons indicated higher perfusion in the cerebellum for the PDB group. Lower perfusion was found in the limbic system and basal ganglia in the PDB group. Conclusion Results observed in this study are concurrent with previous literature. PDB demonstrates higher activity in the cerebellum which contains inhibitory neurotransmitters, like Purkinje cells. The increased blood flow to cerebellar circuits may be related to the explicit self-recognition of negative emotion reported in PDB. Hypoperfusion found in the limbic system could be linked to impaired emotional responses. Apathy experienced in PDB may be accounted for by the low perfusion in the highly dopaminergic pathway in the basal ganglia. Further research should assess how different comorbidities with PDB affect perfusion.