{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,16]],"date-time":"2026-10-16T03:04:41Z","timestamp":1792119881560,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":108,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]],"date-time":"2025-06-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751241600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"UNICEF Greece Country Office under the implementation of the National Programme \u201cPromotion of Family and Child Health\u201d, implemented by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF in the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan\u2014Greece 2.0"},{"name":"European Union\u2014NextGeneration EU"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex psychiatric condition marked by emotional dysregulation, interpersonal instability, and impulsivity. Despite the advances in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, many patients show a partial or unstable response. Recent research suggests that oxytocin, a neuropeptide involved in social cognition and emotional regulation, may offer novel therapeutic avenues. Methods: We systematically synthesize evidence from PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar on oxytocin\u2019s role in BPD, prioritizing studies on neurobiology, emotion regulation, clinical interventions, and adjunctive therapy models. Thirty studies were included and critically appraised using PRISMA and Cochrane\u2019s tools. Due to methodological heterogeneity, no meta-analysis was conducted; instead, the findings were integrated through a narrative synthesis approach. Results: Evidence supports oxytocin\u2019s modulatory effects on amygdala reactivity, prefrontal\u2013limbic connectivity, and hypothalamic\u2013pituitary\u2013adrenal axis function. Intranasal oxytocin appears beneficial for emotional regulation and interpersonal sensitivity, particularly in individuals with early trauma. The reported effect sizes ranged from small (Cohen\u2019s d \u2248 0.40) to large (d \u2248 0.83), though some trials reported null or adverse effects, such as increased hypermentalization. Heterogeneous responses were influenced by factors such as sex, trauma history, and OXTR gene variants. Conclusions: Although intranasal oxytocin shows promise in modulating core neurobiological systems implicated in BPD and enhancing emotion regulation and social cognition, its clinical effects remain variable and context-dependent. The evidence supports cautious exploration of oxytocin as an adjunct to psychotherapeutic interventions rather than as a standalone treatment. Future research should focus on biomarker-informed, stratified trials that account for trauma history, genetic variation, and sex differences to clarify its therapeutic potential.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci15070708","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]],"date-time":"2025-07-01T07:42:06Z","timestamp":1751355726000},"page":"708","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["The Promise of Intranasal Oxytocin in Treating Borderline Personality Disorder: A Narrative Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1672-4727","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eleni","family":"Giannoulis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Psychometrics and Neuropsychology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"},{"name":"Specific Sector of Personality Disorders, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christos","family":"Nousis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Psychometrics and Neuropsychology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"},{"name":"Specific Sector of Personality Disorders, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lydia-Angeliki","family":"Eytaxia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Psychometrics and Neuropsychology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Olga","family":"Kaimakami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Psychometrics and Neuropsychology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6078-5231","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ioannis","family":"Malogiannis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Specific Sector of Personality Disorders, Eginition Hospital, Medical School of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"American Psychiatric Association (2013). 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