3. SOD in BPD via fMRI + EMA
Linking Neural Self–Other Distinction to Everyday Social Experience in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Planned fMRI–EMA Study
The ability to distinguish one’s own mental states from those of others, termed self–other distinction (SOD), is central to adaptive social functioning. Impairments in SOD have been proposed as a key mechanism underlying interpersonal difficulties in borderline personality disorder (BPD). While laboratory and neuroimaging studies implicate the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) in SOD, little is known about how neural and behavioral indices of SOD relate to momentary experiences in everyday life, particularly in individuals with BPD. We are currently planning a multimethod study combining functional MRI, behavioral SOD tasks, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to
- investigate neural mechanisms of SOD impairments in BPD and across the personality pathology spectrum, and
- link laboratory-based markers of SOD to real-life social experiences.
We particularly aim to examine how individual differences in momentary SOD in daily life relate to neural activity and connectivity. Female participants with BPD, healthy controls, and a community sample varying in personality pathology will complete an fMRI session including three SOD tasks and resting-state scans. Subsequently, participants will undergo one week of EMA assessing momentary SOD, affect, stress, and social context using smartphone prompts. This study aims to enhance the ecological validity of neurocognitive models of SOD by linking brain processes to everyday social functioning. As this work is currently in the planning phase, we welcome feedback from the community.
Current Status: Planning.
Media and Collaboration Requests: Please forward all inquiries to ekaterina.pronizius(at)univie.ac.at