Advancing the treatment of long-lasting borderline personality disorder: a feasibility and acceptability study of an expanded DBT-based skills intervention.

Background: Long-term follow-up studies in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) consistently show persistent impairment in psychosocial adjustment, although symptoms tend to decrease over time. Consequently, it might be better to deemphasize symptom-oriented interventions and instead promote interventions that incorporate patient perspectives on recovery. In this study we aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention (dialectical behavioral therapy combined with positive psychology and contextual-based skills) in the clinical treatment of long-lasting BPD difficulties.

Decentering, Acceptance, and Non-Attachment: Challenging the Question "Is It Me?".

Among mindfulness measures the three constructs acceptance, decentering, and non-attachment are psychometrically closely related, despite their apparent semantic differences. These three facets present robust psychometric features and can be considered core themes in most "third wave" clinical models. The aim of the present study was to explore the apparently different content domains (acceptance, decentering, and non-attachment) by administering various psychometric scales in a large sample of 608 volunteers.

Ayahuasca may help to improve self-compassion and self-criticism capacities.

Objective: Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew that originated in the Amazon basin. The psychological effects of this drug are becoming better understood due to the growing research interest in identifying new potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of emotion dysregulation and other disorders. Previous studies suggest that ayahuasca enhances mindfulness-related capacities (decentering, non-judging, non-reacting and acceptance) and emotion regulation.

Mindfulness in Borderline Personality Disorder: Decentering Mediates the Effectiveness.

Background: Mindfulness skills training is a core component of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) that has proven to be an effective stand-alone treatment for the general symptoms commonly present in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based DBT skills training (DBT-M) to interpersonal effectiveness-based DBT skills training (DBT-IE) in reducing BPD symptoms. We also evaluated the specific mechanism of action of these therapies through two proposed mediators: decentering and emotion dysregulation.

Assessing self-criticism and self-reassurance: Examining psychometric properties and clinical usefulness of the Short-Form of the Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS-SF) in Spanish sample.

The Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) was designed to measure self-criticism (SC) through Inadequate Self (IS) and Hated Self (HS) factors, as well as self-reassurance (RS). However, its long and short forms have yet to be validated in the Spanish Population. The present study examines the psychometric properties of the short form (FSCRS-SF) and its clinical usefulness in a sample of 576 adult individuals, 77 with psychiatric disorders and 499 without.

Structural brain abnormalities in borderline personality disorder correlate with clinical severity and predict psychotherapy response.

Although previous imaging studies in borderline personality disorder (BPD) have found brain abnormalities, the results have been inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate structural brain abnormalities using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and cortical thickness (Cth) analyses in a large sample of patients with BPD. Additionally, we aimed to determine the correlation between structural abnormalities and clinical severity and to assess its potential value at predicting psychotherapeutic response.

A genome-wide methylation study reveals X chromosome and childhood trauma methylation alterations associated with borderline personality disorder.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe and highly prevalent psychiatric disorder, more common in females than in males and with notable differences in presentation between genders. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation may modulate gene × environment interactions and impact on neurodevelopment. We conducted an epigenome wide study (Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450k beadchip) in a group of BPD patients with (N = 49) and without (N = 47) childhood traumas and in a control group (N = 44).

Effects of mindfulness training on the default mode network in borderline personality disorder.

Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) present dysfunctions of the default mode network (DMN). Mindfulness training has proven effective to improve the symptoms of BPD. The present study examines the effect of mindfulness training on BPD symptomatology and DMN activity during the performance of a working memory task in patients with BPD.

Ayahuasca improves emotion dysregulation in a community sample and in individuals with borderline-like traits.

Background: Research suggests that mindfulness-based interventions may improve mindfulness-related capacities (e.g., decentering, non-judging, and non-reacting) and emotion regulation.

Assessing the Psychedelic "After-Glow" in Ayahuasca Users: Post-Acute Neurometabolic and Functional Connectivity Changes Are Associated with Enhanced Mindfulness Capacities.

Background: Ayahuasca is a plant tea containing the psychedelic 5-HT2A agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmala monoamine-oxidase inhibitors. Acute administration leads to neurophysiological modifications in brain regions of the default mode network, purportedly through a glutamatergic mechanism. Post-acutely, ayahuasca potentiates mindfulness capacities in volunteers and induces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant patients.

Validation of the Spanish version of the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder.

Introduction: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common and severe mental illness. Early detection is important and reliable screening instruments are required. To date, however, there has been no evidence of any specific BPD screening tool validated for the Spanish-speaking population.

Ayahuasca: Pharmacology, neuroscience and therapeutic potential.

Ayahuasca is the Quechua name for a tea obtained from the vine Banisteriopsis caapi, and used for ritual purposes by the indigenous populations of the Amazon. The use of a variation of the tea that combines B. caapi with the leaves of the shrub Psychotria viridis has experienced unprecedented expansion worldwide for its psychotropic properties.