P02-244 - Evaluation of Cognitive-Executive Functions in Subjects with Borderline Personality Disorder and Childhood ADHD

Abstract

About 20-25% of children diagnosed as affected by ADHD show in adulthood residual symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsive behaviours and disattention with a variable degree of cognitive impairment, and are diagnosed as affected by a cluster B personality disorder (mostly antisocial or borderline).

Objectives

The aim of our study is the evaluation of the presence of ADHD and cognitive-executive functions in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

Materials & methods

We enrolled 54 adult male patients with BPD diagnosis (mean age 40,6 years). The Wender Utah Rating Scale 25-items (WURS) was used to assess the presence of ADHD in childhood. The neurocognitive assessment included the following tests: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Color/Word Interference Test, Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), AB-AC Test.

Results

From scores obtained at WURS 25-items (cut-off score ≥ 46) the observed frequency of subjects with childhood ADHD was 27.8% (15/54). Therefore the subjects were divided into two groups: BPD without ADHD and borderline ADHD. Scores obtained were compared and statistical significance was observed in regard to WCST (p=0.006), VFT fonemic (p=0.04), VFT semantic (p= 0.05), AB-AC test (p=0.05).

Conclusions

Our study shows that borderline subjects with childhood ADHD have worse cognitive performances than borderline subjects without childhood ADHD.