Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesize that the population with borderline personality shows different autonomic response to methadone compared to individuals with other personalities. This study applies heart rate variability (HRV) measurements and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) to examine...

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Main Authors: Wei-Lieh Huang, Yu-Hsuan Lin, Terry B J Kuo, Li-Ren Chang, Ying-Zai Chen, Cheryl C H Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3358307?pdf=render
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author Wei-Lieh Huang
Yu-Hsuan Lin
Terry B J Kuo
Li-Ren Chang
Ying-Zai Chen
Cheryl C H Yang
author_facet Wei-Lieh Huang
Yu-Hsuan Lin
Terry B J Kuo
Li-Ren Chang
Ying-Zai Chen
Cheryl C H Yang
author_sort Wei-Lieh Huang
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: We hypothesize that the population with borderline personality shows different autonomic response to methadone compared to individuals with other personalities. This study applies heart rate variability (HRV) measurements and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) to examine this hypothesis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Forty-four male patients with heroin dependence were recruited from a methadone maintenance treatment program. Eight personality patterns were classified according to the TPQ norm used in Taiwan. The borderline pattern (BP, composed of high novelty seeking, high harm avoidance and low reward dependence) and the other personality patterns (OP) were separated into two groups. We compared the HRV profiles between the BP and OP groups. Correlation and regression analysis were performed to clarify relationship between HRV differences and the borderline index (BI, a new concept defined by us, which is calculated as novelty seeking + harm avoidance - reward dependence). The HRV targets investigated included low frequency (LF) power, high frequency (HF) power, total power (TP), normalized LF (LF%), and LF/HF. No baseline HRV parameters showed any inter-group difference. The BP group had a significantly lower ΔHF and a higher ΔLF/HF than the OP group. The personality dimension, reward dependence, showed a negative correlation with ΔLF/HF and ΔLF%. BI was negatively correlated with ΔHF and positively correlated with ΔLF/HF and ΔLF%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Borderline personality individuals show increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity compared to other personalities after taking methadone. The results support the hypothesis that there is an interaction between borderline personality and autonomic modulation.
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spelling doaj.art-46a169be14654a66b309dbc75ab7f2b32022-12-22T01:20:26ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0175e3746410.1371/journal.pone.0037464Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.Wei-Lieh HuangYu-Hsuan LinTerry B J KuoLi-Ren ChangYing-Zai ChenCheryl C H YangBACKGROUND: We hypothesize that the population with borderline personality shows different autonomic response to methadone compared to individuals with other personalities. This study applies heart rate variability (HRV) measurements and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) to examine this hypothesis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Forty-four male patients with heroin dependence were recruited from a methadone maintenance treatment program. Eight personality patterns were classified according to the TPQ norm used in Taiwan. The borderline pattern (BP, composed of high novelty seeking, high harm avoidance and low reward dependence) and the other personality patterns (OP) were separated into two groups. We compared the HRV profiles between the BP and OP groups. Correlation and regression analysis were performed to clarify relationship between HRV differences and the borderline index (BI, a new concept defined by us, which is calculated as novelty seeking + harm avoidance - reward dependence). The HRV targets investigated included low frequency (LF) power, high frequency (HF) power, total power (TP), normalized LF (LF%), and LF/HF. No baseline HRV parameters showed any inter-group difference. The BP group had a significantly lower ΔHF and a higher ΔLF/HF than the OP group. The personality dimension, reward dependence, showed a negative correlation with ΔLF/HF and ΔLF%. BI was negatively correlated with ΔHF and positively correlated with ΔLF/HF and ΔLF%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Borderline personality individuals show increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity compared to other personalities after taking methadone. The results support the hypothesis that there is an interaction between borderline personality and autonomic modulation.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3358307?pdf=render
spellingShingle Wei-Lieh Huang
Yu-Hsuan Lin
Terry B J Kuo
Li-Ren Chang
Ying-Zai Chen
Cheryl C H Yang
Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.
PLoS ONE
title Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.
title_full Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.
title_fullStr Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.
title_full_unstemmed Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.
title_short Methadone-mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence: the influence of borderline personality pattern.
title_sort methadone mediated autonomic functioning of male patients with heroin dependence the influence of borderline personality pattern
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3358307?pdf=render
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