Enhanced pain modulation capacity among individuals with borderline personality disorder: A possible mechanism underlying their hypoalgesia.

Background: Ample evidence suggests that individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) exhibit hyposensitivity to pain. Since the underlying mechanism of the pain hyposensitivity is unknown, we tested here for the first time whether this hyposensitivity is pain specific or exists also for innocuous sensation, and whether it is associated with enhanced descending pain modulation capabilities.

Methods: Participants were 55 women; 22 patients with BPD and 33 matched healthy controls.