Aripiprazole in a Therapy-resistant Patient with Borderline Personality and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Introduction

The availability of new atypical antipsychotics provides novel opportunities for the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD) [1]. Beneficial effects of aripiprazole in patients with BPD have been shown in case reports [2] and in a recent double-blind study [3]. The doses applied ranged between 10 and 25 mg/d. Aripiprazole, which is not only a partial dopamine-2 receptor agonist but also a serotonin-1A receptor agonist and a serotonin-2A receptor antagonist, is promising for the treatment of anxiety disorders as well. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an especially frequent comorbid condition in patients with BPD. Using an open design (with doses of up to 30 mg/d), the effects of aripiprazole as an augmentor in patients with diverse anxiety disorders, including PTSD, who had had an incomplete response to serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have been demonstrated [4]. A recent case series illustrates the potential of aripiprazole (up to 30 mg/d) as monotherapy for PTSD symptoms [5].

References

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