Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0000-2020-3284

Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Neuroscience

Reader 1

Thomas Borowski

Reader 2

Stacey Wood

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

2026 Sujean Doo

Abstract

Impulsivity is a central and clinically significant dimension of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and is strongly associated with self-harm, aggression, and suicide risk. Despite its prognostic importance, pharmacologic management of impulsivity in BPD remains inconsistent. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are frequently prescribed; however, randomized controlled trials demonstrate limited efficacy for impulsive-aggression, and some patients experience a paradoxical behavioral activation. Meta-analytic and systematic reviews further suggest that mood stabilizers and second-generation antipsychotics may outperform antidepressants, yet no specific medication is indicated to target impulsive behavioral dyscontrol.

This thesis synthesizes findings from systematic reviews, randomized trials, and neuroimaging research to evaluate omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as a mechanistically informed adjunctive intervention. Across studies, lower levels of omega-3s in the central and peripheral regions are associated with aggressive, impulsive, and self-harmful behaviors, and indicate that omega-3 supplementation significantly reduces impulsive behavioral dyscontrol, anger outbursts, and self-injury compared to monotherapy and other treatments.

Neurobiologically, impulsivity in BPD is conceptualized as an imbalance between top-down prefrontal control and bottom-up limbic drive. Resting-state fMRI studies demonstrate disrupted functional connectivity within cortical and subcortical networks in BPD. Omega-3s may exert therapeutic effects by enhancing membrane stability, modulating serotonergic transmission, improving dopaminergic functioning, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and attenuating stress-related hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation.

While not a standalone treatment, the evidence supports omega-3 supplementation as a promising, low-risk approach to BPD medication management.

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