Borderline personality disorder and eating disorders are characterized by specific patterns of autistic traits, post-traumatic and catatonic symptoms.

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aims to clarify the relationships between autistic traits, post-traumatic symptoms, and catatonic features in individuals with BPD and FED. Specifically, we sought to identify whether distinct patterns of autistic and trauma-related features characterize these conditions and to examine their predictive role in the development of catatonic manifestations.

Methods: 49 subjects with BPD, 55 subjects with FED, specifically anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN)/binge-eating disorder (BED) and 55 non-clinical subjects (NCs) were recruited and assessed with the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), the Catatonia Spectrum (CS), and the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report (TALS-SR).

Results: Both FED and BPD groups scored higher on AdAS, CS and TALS-SR than NC, while BPD group scored higher than FED on TALS-SR "Personal Characteristics and Risk Factors" domain. AN significantly differed from BN/BED in specific AdAS and CS domains. A positive correlation among AdAS spectrum, CS and TALS-SR domains was reported. Both AdAS and CS total score were predictors for the inclusion in BPD or FED group, with some specific differences in the predictive role of single domains. For the FED group, only AdAS symptoms predicted greater catatonic symptoms, while for the BPD one, both AdAS and TALS-SR were predictors of greater catatonic features.

Conclusions: Both BPD and FED subjects exhibit more frequent autistic traits, stress-related symptoms, and catatonic manifestations compared to controls, with specific patterns of features associated with each condition.

Level of evidence: Level V: Descriptive studies.