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Objective: The possible heterogeneity of the schizophrenia-related personality disorder traits associated with DSM-III criteria for schizotypal personality disorder was investigated using the family history method. A familial relationship to schizophrenia was hypothesized for schizophrenia-related personality disorder traits without coexisting affective personality disorder traits, pure schizophrenia-related personality disorder traits. Alternatively, a familial relationship with borderline personality disorder was hypothesized for schizophrenia-related personality disorder traits with comorbid affective personality disorder traits. Method: Criteria for schizophrenia-related and affective personality disorder traits were used to assess the 588 nonpsychotic first-degree relatives of 55 chronic schizophrenic probands and 67 probands with personality disorders. The probands with one or more DSM-III personality disorders were categorized as having schizotypal personality disorder without borderline personality disorder (pure schizotypal personality disorder), borderline personality disorder without schizotypal personality disorder (pure borderline personality disorder), both disorders, or neither. Results: The morbid risk of all cases of schizophrenia-related personality disorder traits was higher in relatives of probands with schizophrenia and pure schizotypal personality disorder than in relatives of probands with neither schizotypal nor borderline personality disorder; however, it differed only slightly from that observed in the relatives of probands with both schizotypal and borderline personality disorders and pure borderline personality disorder. In contrast, the risk of pure schizophrenia-related personality disorder traits was higher in relatives of probands with schizophrenia and pure schizotypal personality disorder, while the risk of coexisting schizophrenia-related and affective personality disorder traits was lower in both of these groups than among the relatives of probands with both schizotypal and borderline personality disorders and pure borderline personality disorder. Conclusions: These results offer preliminary indications that schizotypal personality disorder features present without comorbid affective personality disorder traits may more specifically characterize the personality characteristics familially related to schizophrenia. Furthermore, they indicate that schizotypal personality disorder features as currently defined are found in relatives of patients other than those with schizophrenia or schizotypal personality disorder.

Some researchers have hypothesized that borderline personality disorder, marked by affective instability and impulsivity, is linked to a familial history of affective disorder (mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder). However, more recent research suggests that this is only true if the patient with borderline personality disorder also suffers from an affective disorder. Borderline personality disorder and related traits seem to aggregate within families. In the present study, family interviews were used to obtain family history information for 64 patients with personality disorders. Patients completed several scales for personality assessment and data were compared with data from 43 schizophrenics and their families. Of the 64 patients with personality disorders, 29 were diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and 22 had other personality disorders, but possessed three or fewer traits of borderline personality disorder. In all, 129 relatives of borderline personality disorder patients were interviewed, along with 105 relatives of those with other personality disorders and 218 relatives of schizophrenics. Statistical analysis showed that the risks for affective and impulsive personality traits were greatest for family members of those with borderline personality disorder. This suggests that there may be familial transmission of borderline personality disorder characteristics. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)