An open, noncomparative study of amoxapine in borderline disorders

Abstract

Five patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and 5 patients with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) completed at least 3 weeks of treatment with amoxapine. The patients fulfilled DSM‐III criteria for borderline disorders and scored 7 points or more in Gunderson's Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB). The final median medication in patients with BPD was 200 mg amoxapine/day and 42 mg oxazepam/day. Duration of treatment averaged 28 days. In patients with SPD the corresponding figures were 250 mg amoxapine/day, 36 mg oxazepam/day and 39 days. The study suggests that amoxapine improves schizophrenic‐like and depressive symptoms in patients with schizotypal personality disorders (SPD). No effect could be shown in patients with borderline personality disorders (BPD).