Hippocampal volume in borderline personality disorder with and without comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background Several studies have found a reduction in hippocampal volume in borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients. Methods In order to investigate the degree to which comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could account for reduction in hippocampal volume in these patients, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that compared hippocampal volume in BPD patients with and without PTSD relative to healthy controls. Results Seven articles, involving 124 patients and 147 controls, were included. We found a statistically significant reduction for the left and right hippocampus. Data from the four studies that discriminated BPD patients with and without PTSD indicate that hippocampal volumes were reduced bilaterally in BPD patients with PTSD, relative to healthy controls, but that results were mixed for BPD patients without PTSD, relative to healthy controls. Conclusions Results from this meta-analysis suggest that hippocampal volumes are reduced in patients with BPD, relative to healthy controls, but particularly in cases in which patients are diagnosed with comorbid PTSD.