大多数有关人格障碍的生物学基础研究集中于分裂型和边缘型人格障碍。[32]Mittal VA, Dhruv S, Tessner KD, et al. The relations among putative biorisk markers in schizotypal adolescents: minor physical anomalies, movement abnormalities, and salivary cortisol. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 May 15;61(10):1179-86.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17188254?tool=bestpractice.com 分裂型人格障碍与动作异常及微小的身体异常有关,这些异常没有在其他人格障碍患者或者对照组中发现。[32]Mittal VA, Dhruv S, Tessner KD, et al. The relations among putative biorisk markers in schizotypal adolescents: minor physical anomalies, movement abnormalities, and salivary cortisol. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 May 15;61(10):1179-86.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17188254?tool=bestpractice.com 研究还指出从正常对照被试和精神分裂症患者中区别分裂型患者,在神经生物学测量方面有所不同。[32]Mittal VA, Dhruv S, Tessner KD, et al. The relations among putative biorisk markers in schizotypal adolescents: minor physical anomalies, movement abnormalities, and salivary cortisol. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 May 15;61(10):1179-86.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17188254?tool=bestpractice.com
边缘型人格障碍与5-羟色胺系统破坏,内源性鸦片通路(涉及重复非自杀式自残行为)破坏和改变负责冲动性攻击和情绪调节的大脑区域功能有关。[32]Mittal VA, Dhruv S, Tessner KD, et al. The relations among putative biorisk markers in schizotypal adolescents: minor physical anomalies, movement abnormalities, and salivary cortisol. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 May 15;61(10):1179-86.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17188254?tool=bestpractice.com 遗传研究发现5-HT受体,色氨酸羟化酶和5-HT2A受体基因异常。[33]New AS, Goodman M, Tribwasser J, et al. Recent advances in the biological study of personality disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2008 Sep;31(3):441-61,vii.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18638645?tool=bestpractice.com
前额叶皮质和杏仁核之间的连接对情绪调节和行为反应起关键作用。 情绪调节异常和易冲动性,是人格障碍很常见的表现,可能与前额的调节减少和/或杏仁核的活动增强有关。[34]Johnson PA, Hurley RA, Benkelfat C, et al. Understanding emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder: contributions of neuroimaging. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2003 Fall;15(4):397-402.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14627765?tool=bestpractice.com
多巴胺能活性对情绪,信息处理,冲动控制和认知起重要作用。因此,提出多巴胺功能异常学说,这一学说来源于使用多巴胺受体拮抗剂治疗的边缘型人格障碍患者一些症状有所减轻。[35]Friedel RO. Dopamine dysfunction in borderline personality disorder: a hypothesis. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2004 Jun;29(6):1029-39.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15039763?tool=bestpractice.com 多巴胺系统涉及边缘型人格障碍这一理论也得到该障碍患者苯丙胺和哌醋甲酯诱发性实验结果的支持。[35]Friedel RO. Dopamine dysfunction in borderline personality disorder: a hypothesis. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2004 Jun;29(6):1029-39.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15039763?tool=bestpractice.com
肾上腺素能神经系统的作用也表现在下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴的功能紊乱和调节异常。[24]Martín-Blanco A, Ferrer M, Soler J, et al. The role of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal genes and childhood trauma in borderline personality disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2016 Jun;266(4):307-16.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26182893?tool=bestpractice.com[33]New AS, Goodman M, Tribwasser J, et al. Recent advances in the biological study of personality disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2008 Sep;31(3):441-61,vii.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18638645?tool=bestpractice.com
由于催产素会影响同理心和奖励心态、情感调节和适应行为,因此它已被提议为边缘型人格障碍精神病理学的一个因素。[36]Herpertz SC, Bertsch K. A new perspective on the pathophysiology of borderline personality disorder: a model of the role of oxytocin. Am J Psychiatry. 2015 Sep 1;172(9):840-51.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26324303?tool=bestpractice.com 催产素在边缘型人格障碍中的作用仍待研究。 但是,一些研究表明,内源性催产素水平较低也是一种致病因素,并且诊断为边缘型人格障碍的患者出现了催产素系统调节异常。[37]Bertsch K, Schmidinger I, Neumann ID, et al. Reduced plasma oxytocin levels in female patients with borderline personality disorder. Horm Behav. 2013 Mar;63(3):424-9.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23201337?tool=bestpractice.com