Traumatic Brain injury and BPD...

[Depression = 72% of members]

I have been researching for a connection between BPD and traumatic brain injury (tbi). Was wondering if anyone has experience in this area or if they have done research. I have felt lumps in the back of my fiancée's head. Lumps that seem to be malformations of her skull. There are several and they start at the base of her skull and go up towards the top of her head and to the side towards her ears. If I had to estimate there are about 8-10, they are about the size of nickels & quarters, some of them rising about 1/4 from the surface of her skull. I have never asked her about them, but she absolutely loves for me to stroke her head and hair (back and sides of her head) it relaxes and puts her to sleep. Have read about TBI and some psychological disorders.

Thank you,

Circle T

[Circle T]

I have been researching for a connection between BPD and traumatic brain injury (tbi). Was wondering if anyone has experience in this area or if they have done research. I have felt lumps in the back of my fiancée's head. Lumps that seem to be malformations of her skull. There are several and they start at the base of her skull and go up towards the top of her head and to the side towards her ears. If I had to estimate there are about 8-10, they are about the size of nickels & quarters, some of them rising about 1/4 from the surface of her skull. I have never asked her about them, but she absolutely loves for me to stroke her head and hair (back and sides of her head) it relaxes and puts her to sleep. Have read about TBI and some psychological disorders.

Thank you,

Circle T

[PLEASE - NO RUN MESSAGES]

PLEASE - NO RUN MESSAGES This is a high level discussion board for solving ongoing, day-to-day relationship conflicts. Members may appear frustrated but they are here for constructive solutions to problems. This is not a place for relationship "stay" or "leave" discussions. Please read the specific guidelines for this group.

[Sunfl0wer]

I honestly don't know, however, your post made me curious.  (I am interested in neurology, and now you peaked my curiosity on the r/s with PD)

This is what I googled and came up with:

www.bonetumor.org/tumors-bone/osteoma

What do you think?

Also, another google search said that lipoma's also feel hard enough to mistaken for part of the skull.

(I also googled correlation of TBI and personality disorders and got the following:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2536546/#!po=55.6452

I skimmed it tho and did not see any mention of personality disorders.  I would imagine that if there were indeed a correlation, that the brain injury would have had to occur when the person was young, therefore personality emerging, and the TBI would hinder person from reaching pertinent emotional developmental milestones based on their faulty neuro processing.  But that is a guess on my part.  I think tho that the underlying motivational drives that are characteristic of BPD behaviors are what stand it apart from simply mistaking BPD from other neurological dysfunctions.)

[Cloudy Days]

Just wanted to say that my husband was Diagnosed with TBI however I don't think it has anything to do with him having BPD. I think the BPD and his carelessness and recklessness in life is what caused the TBI. Too many incidences to mention although he was hit by a car as a child, so maybe. But his family dynamic practically spells out a recipe for BPD so I really doubt that TBI caused his BPD.

[maxsterling]

Since BPD is a diagnosis based upon a grouping of symptoms, it is possible (if not likely) it could have multiple causes.  And in the case of traumatic brain injury, I am sure some with an injury develop BPD symptoms, while others do not. 

In the case of my wife, she did experience both physical and emotional traumas at a young age.  And then there was her self-inflicted trauma resulting from illicit drug use and poor decisions.  I've read before that emotional trauma can be just as severe as physical brain trauma in producing chronic mental health issues.  I will say one thing from observing my wife - it's pretty clear to me that her brain does NOT function the way a healthy adult does.  I don't believe all her issues are behavior/personality related.  There is something different about the way her brain chemistry or physiology is that leads to her reacting to situations in extreme and self-destructive ways. 

[Ceruleanblue]

This is interesting. I'd never thought of that. I do know my husband has had head injuries, and he used to have seizures, and they never figured out why. I'd never even wondered if there could be a correlation.

I do know that with my OCD, that they found a link between some who had a Strep infection, and it can trigger OCD. I'm sure that is not every case though, but I think in my case it could have been. I'm pretty sure there is a genetic factor though too. My kids seem to have inherited it, and to my knowledge, they didn't have Strep.

I guess either way, brain injury, or just a genetic factor, people with BPD, or those living with BPD the result is the same. The trick is living with it, and making the best of it. My latest hope is the DBT therapy my husband is in. What an uphill struggle though.

[Circle T]

My desire to understand more about TBI and the possible connection to BPD is curative. I understand this is a long shot and I am, in the mean time learning more and more about this to manage her and I.

The books and article that I have read seem to suggest that there is a physical difference between pwBPD and nons. There are specific areas of the brain, located at the back of the head and the base of the skull that regulate emotion (name escapes me). My thinking is that if my fiancée has a TBI and has caused her BPD then there may be a curative solution. Also is her TBI going to result in another medical condition. IF her BPD is NOT the result of TBI then there is another option for treatment & management. In any scenario, treatment is a possibility DBT or CBT, because irregardless of how she came to be BPD, she needs treatment for the emotional issues. The possible physical or physiological causes are possibilities for changes or curative treatments. My hypothesis is that the lumps on the back of her skull are causing, or have caused site specific inter-cranial pressure on the amygdalas and/or the prefrontal cortex, emotion areas of the brain. She does complain of having headaches all the time, but from what I read this is not uncommon for pwBPD. My fear is that her TBI was inflicted by mother or caregiver when she was very young and not only was there physical abuse, the physical abuse has resulted emotional trauma/abuse and  in long term physiological changes resulting in BPD.  IN ANY CASE I love her and we will work through this and I will learn to be a better SO!

PLEASE let me know your thoughts, comments.

Thank you,

Circle T

[Cloudy Days]

I read an article one time about a study on children who had been through traumatic situations. The study found that trauma as a child actually changes the development of the brain and therefore changes how these children react to things at an older age. It was very interesting, I thought it explained a lot about my husband, his brother is actually the one that shared it with us, him also dealing with the same traumatic expericens. My husband was diagnosed with TBI after he was diagnosed with BPD. His doctor said some things don't quite fit with BPD, although BPD was certainly present. They had neuropsychological testing done and confirmed he had severe memory problems when listening to cues and a few other problems that are associated with the same area that allows you to control your emotions. Bottom line, he was diagnosed with TBI. He has impeccable sight memory though so his doctors have come up with ways to show him instead of tell him so that he can retain information better. Getting him treatment was the best thing we ever did.  

[ColdEthyl]

I read an article one time about a study on children who had been through traumatic situations. The study found that trauma as a child actually changes the development of the brain and therefore changes how these children react to things at an older age. It was very interesting, I thought it explained a lot about my husband, his brother is actually the one that shared it with us, him also dealing with the same traumatic expericens. My husband was diagnosed with TBI after he was diagnosed with BPD. His doctor said some things don't quite fit with BPD, although BPD was certainly present. They had neuropsychological testing done and confirmed he had severe memory problems when listening to cues and a few other problems that are associated with the same area that allows you to control your emotions. Bottom line, he was diagnosed with TBI. He has impeccable sight memory though so his doctors have come up with ways to show him instead of tell him so that he can retain information better. Getting him treatment was the best thing we ever did.  

I did a paper in college about serial killers, and one of the things I learned was abuse at a young age can stunt the growth of certain parts of the brain, namely the amygdala, which is responsible for fear and pleasure responses, as well as aggression levels. With parts of the brain damaged, emotions such as guilt and empathy are lowered, sometimes nonexistent.

When I found my H's diagnosis, this was one of the first things I thought of and feared. But, he DOES have these emotions, they are just sort of... . wonky.

[Stalwart]

Actually Cold Ethal the amygdala and proper development of the neural systems is the key area that BPD developement or lack of development is considered to be associated with and I've read articles relating to the same subject you studied. Really interesting relationships and similarities.

Hey Circle T:

Normal and abnormal brain development is an experience-dependent process resulting in bridging healthy response through neural plasticity of the brain’s wiring system. . There  are  critical periods in neurodevelopment, for example, heightened levels of brain plasticity, during which sensory experiences produced long-lasting and large-scale change in neuronal circuits affecting healthy development of thought and understanding processes or in the case of malfunctioning systems a lack of healthy development. The later being the case in BPD.

During that critical time, appropriate external environmental stimulations are required to advance normal development. Hence so many that have a lack of emotional connectivity to their parenting figures in a healthy emotional way of being nurtured and developed will not be exposed to the stimuli necessary for healthy interactions resulting in emotional recognition and required neurodevelopment. Although this is not always the case and some do have nurturing parents with no negative intervention in pyhysical or mental development but I suspect it results in the majority of cases and I believe if related studies were done extensively they would find that being genetically passed from parent to sibling is a big factor in the lack of parenting skills or close connectivity and it's a vicious repeating circle of misfuntioning through generations. I can tell you that's the case in the women in my wifes genetic line and heirarcy.

This activity-dependent neuroplasticity depends on the development of several systems including most importantly NMDA neurotransmission. Disruption of any of these components during key periods of development will alter normal neurodevelopment. There is some fantastic research being done right now concerning the creation of chemical protons that could actually be applied to affect NMDA responses in a positive way – it’s really exciting to read about.

That is considered to be the biological and often genetic factor to poorly functioning BPD development.

Neural plasticity is not properly functioned to relay messages to other parts of the brain and develop normal sympatic responses to stimuli as it would in a properly functioning and developing child. Hence so many say they feel nothing, can’t relate to common physical stimuli when assessing another’s moods or emotions, have difficulty recognizing some feelings like empathy or sympathy due to lack of actual recognition of the feelings associated to them or say they feel 'empty' or void of any feeling.

It’s believed that these faults in plasticity of proper neural development and transmission all take place within the first five years of life so it’s difficult to assume that damage as a result of an accident later in life are going to result in the same neural difficulties that are present and measurable with someone with BPD.

Also it has to be considered that all these neural system that relate to development and differences with BPD are located in the frontal lobe not the back or sides of the head.

Just food for thought Circle T.

[ColdEthyl]

Actually Cold Ethal the amygdala and proper development of the neural systems is the key area that BPD developement or lack of development is considered to be associated with and I've read articles relating to the same subject you studied. Really interesting relationships and similarities.

Exactly, which is why I was terrified at first. BPD is a spectrum disorder, however, and while the 'threat' of him being a person without conscience, empathy or guilt was a possibility, I have concluded that he's a more mild case of BPD. Let's be honest, though. There's a good reason why pwBPD have good chances of being physically abusive or worse, and we must always keep that in our minds.

I had a rough childhood myself, and have been discovering things about my own mental health while researching my husband, as well as just learning to the use the tools. The tools themselves have pointed out quite a bit for me. I see tendencies in myself to exhibit some of the same behaviors. Quick to anger, hypersensitivity, generalized anxiety disorder... .

Makes one wonder.