Dissociation, emotion dysregulation, and cognitive disturbances are key features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The aim of this thesis was to investigate associations between... Show moreDissociation, emotion dysregulation, and cognitive disturbances are key features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The aim of this thesis was to investigate associations between dissociation and activity in networks relevant to affective-cognitive processing in patients with BPD compared to healthy controls. In the first part of this thesis, associations between self-reported dissociation and functional connectivity of the amygdala and anterior cingulate during resting-state and during an Emotional Working Memory Task (EWMT) were examined. The second part of this neuroimaging research combined script-driven imagery with the EWMT and with an Emotional Stroop Task. Findings suggest a detrimental effect of dissociation on cognitive functioning in BPD. After dissociation induction, patients showed reduced activity in the amygdala, posterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, and occipital areas (cuneus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus), along with increased activity in frontal areas (inferior frontal gyrus, dlPFC). Altered interactions between the amygdala and the afore-mentioned regions may underlie disturbed information processing during dissociation in BPD. Further research with larger sample sizes and clinical control groups is needed to gain more insight into the neural mechanisms of stress-related dissociation in BPD. A combination of neuroimaging techniques with subjective, behavioral, and psychophysiological measurements may be a helpful step into this direction. Show less
Cannabis and alcohol are believed to have widespread effects on the brain. Although adolescents are at increased risk for substance use, the adolescent brain may also be particularly vulnerable to... Show moreCannabis and alcohol are believed to have widespread effects on the brain. Although adolescents are at increased risk for substance use, the adolescent brain may also be particularly vulnerable to the effects of drug exposure due to its rapid maturation. Here, we examined the association between cannabis and alcohol use duration and resting-state functional connectivity in a large sample of male juvenile delinquents.The present sample was drawn from the Southwest Advanced Neuroimaging Cohort, Youth sample, and from a youth detention facility in Wisconsin. All participants were scanned at the maximum-security facilities using The Mind Research Network’s 1.5T Avanto SQ Mobile MRI scanner. Information on cannabis and alcohol regular use duration was collected using self-report. Resting-state networks were computed using group independent component analysis in 201 participants. Associations with cannabis and alcohol use were assessed using Mancova analyses controlling for age, IQ, smoking and psychopathy scores in the complete case sample of 180 male juvenile delinquents.No associations between alcohol or cannabis use and network spatial maps were found. Longer cannabis use was associated with decreased low frequency power of the default mode network, the executive control networks (ECNs), and several sensory networks, and with decreased functional network connectivity. Duration of alcohol use was associated with decreased low frequency power of the right frontoparietal network, salience network, dorsal attention network, and several sensory networks.Our findings suggest that adolescent cannabis and alcohol use are associated with widespread differences in resting-state time course power spectra, which may persist even after abstinence. Show less
Werff, S.J.A. van der; Pannekoek, J.N.; Veer, I.M.; Tol, M.J. van; Aleman, A.; Veltman, D.J.; ... ; Wee, N.J.A. van der 2013
