Within ten years, many of these approaches will become closer and closer to reality. Currently, research into the biological basis of BPD is in its infancy. A great deal of concerted research is necessary to ascertain the specific impairment in the regulation of neural paths that modulate impulsivity, mood instability, aggression, anger, and negative emotions seen in the BPD patient. These are complex pathways, and it will require a significant amount of research to determine the precise changes that occur in BPD.

One of the more interesting and promising areas for research will be in the area of brain imaging. Recent research in this area shows that the ability to suppress negative emotions can be correlated with individual differences in the ability to activate areas of the prefrontal cortex involved in inhibition. Clearly, more research in this area will likely help to broaden our understanding of the impulsivity in BPD.

Future directions for treatment of BPD include combinations of behavioral and medical treatments for the disorder. Further, results from the first longitudinal study of BPD personality treatment are expected to reveal a great deal about the effect of treatment....

Future directions for treatment will undoubtedly incorporate many of the results from research into the biological basis of BPD.
The need for effective treatments and research into BPD is easily justified. Corelli estimates the prevalence of BPD of "running as high as 10-14% of the general population." This high prevalence ensures that virtually every person has been impacted by BPD at some time in their lives. Thus, many of our personal and professional relationships have been colored by the disorder, often without our knowledge. As such, research and effective treatment of the disorder stand to benefit not only the sufferers of the disease, but their families and society as a whole.

References

Corelli, Richard J. Borderline Personality Disorder. 04 November 2004. http://www.stanford.edu/~corelli/borderline.html

National Institute of Mental Health. Borderline Personality Disorder: Raising Questions, Finding Answers. 04 November 2004. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bpd.cfm

Shapiro, E.R. (1978). The psychodynamics and developmental psychology of the borderline patient: a review of the literature. Am J. Psychiatry. 1978 Nov;135(11):1305-15.