Fatty acid ethanolamide levels are altered in borderline personality and complex posttraumatic stress disorders
Abstract
Borderline personality (BPD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) are both powerfully associated with the experience of interpersonal violence during childhood and adolescence. The disorders frequently co-occur and often result in pervasive problems in, e.g., emotion regulation and altered pain perception, where the endocannabinoid system is deeply involved. We hypothesize an endocannabinoid role in both disorders. We investigated serum levels of the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol and related fatty acid ethanolamides (FAEs) in BPD, PTSD, and controls. Significant alterations were found for both endocannabinoids in BPD and for the FAE oleoylethanolamide in PTSD suggesting a respective link to both disorders.
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Individuals with a BPD diagnosis or symptoms have been shown to have structural brain abnormalities (i.e., increased gray matter volume) in prefrontal cortex areas involved in cognitive control and alterations in endocannabinoids potentially associated with reduced distress tolerance.
“Correspondingly, individuals with a BPD diagnosis or symptoms have been shown to have structural brain abnormalities (i.e., increased gray matter volume) in prefrontal cortex areas involved in cognitive control [128] and alterations in endocannabinoids potentially associated with reduced distress tolerance [147].”
From Complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder (2021) · cites this paper as [147]
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Complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder
Ford, J. D., & Courtois, C. A. (2021) · Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation · doi:10.1186/s40479-021-00155-9 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
“, increased gray matter volume) in prefrontal cortex areas involved in cognitive control [128] and alterations in endocannabinoids potentially associated with reduced distress tolerance [147].”
BackgroundComplex PTSD, affect dysregulation, and borderline personality disorder
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Schneider, P., Bindila, L., Schmahl, C., Bohus, M., Meyer-Lindenberg, A., Lutz, B., Spanagel, R., & Schneider, M. (2016) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00203 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Molecular Basis of Resilience: A Narrative Review
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- Authors
- Schaefer, C., Enning, F., Mueller, J. K., Bumb, J. M., Rohleder, C., Odorfer, T. M., Klosterkötter, J., Hellmich, M., Koethe, D., Schmahl, C., Bohus, M., & Leweke, F. M.
- Affiliations
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- University of Cologne (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Leweke, F. Markus
- ORCID
- Venue
- European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
- Published
- 2013-11-20
- Volume
- 264
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 459-463
- ISSN
- 0003-9373 (ISSN-L)
- 0940-1334
- 1433-8491
- OpenAlex
- W2094393564
- Cited by
- 92
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 2.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Kölner Universitäts PublikationsServer (Universität zu Köln) (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- borderline personality disorder, complex PTSD, fatty acid ethanolamides, endocannabinoid system, anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, oleoylethanolamide, emotion regulation, pain perception
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amides, Arachidonic Acids, Borderline Personality Disorder, Ethanolamines, Fatty Acids, Female, Glycerides, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Palmitic Acids, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Severity of Illness Index, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Polyunsaturated Alkamides, Young Adult, Endocannabinoids
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