Q. A few months ago, I picked up a book about BPD. The title, Stop Walking on Eggshells, caught my eye, and I was both horrified and relieved to discover that my mother fit the descriptions and criteria. Remembering back throughout my life, I could see that all the signs were there... I just never had a word for my mother's behavior and the turmoil it caused. By the time I found the book, her erratic and unpleasant behavior seemed to be escalating, and I was getting desperate.

Then.... within the last month, my mother was in the hospital (chronic heart and lung disease), and her behavior towards the nurses and doctors prompted an evaluation by the Psych. Dept. She was diagnosed with Dementia. Reading about that, I see that some of the symptoms are similar (mood swings, etc.). She's 69 years old, by the way.

So now I'm wondering if any connection has ever been made between BPD and Dementia. Could BPD pre-dispose someone to developing dementia in their old age?

 

A. I'm not aware that there are any connections between dementia and bpd. Dementia is primarily an organic deterioration of certain areas of the brain. This deterioration of the brain is primarily responsible for the behavioral and emotional difficulties associated with dementia. BPD's causes are not as well known. Some brain research has suggested that BPD symptoms may be linked to some brain factors but this is not well understood. I'm not aware of any research linking these two very different disorders.