biostudies-literatureUnknownHerzog PBorderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder, comprised of heterogeneous psychological and neurobiological pathologies. Here, we propose a predictive processing (PP) account of BPD to integrate these seemingly unrelated pathologies. In particular, we argue that the experience of childhood maltreatment, which is highly prevalent in BPD, leaves a developmental legacy with two facets: first, a coarse-grained, alexithymic model of self and others - leading to a rigidity and inflexibility concerning beliefs about self and others. Second, this developmental legacy leads to a loss of confidence or precision afforded beliefs about the consequences of social behavior. This results in an over reliance on sensory evidence and social feedback, with concomitant lability, impulsivitPsychological medicine1-18https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9693729biostudies-literatureHow childhood maltreatment alters perception and cognition - the predictive processing account of borderline personality disorder.PMC9693729Herzog PFassbinder EKube TfalseHow childhood maltreatment alters perception and cognition - the predictive processing account of borderline personality disorder.Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder, comprised of heterogeneous psychological and neurobiological pathologies. Here, we propose a predictive processing (PP) account of BPD to integrate these seemingly unrelated pathologies. In particular, we argue that the experience of childhood maltreatment, which is highly prevalent in BPD, leaves a developmental legacy with two facets: first, a coarse-grained, alexithymic model of self and others - leading to a rigidity and inflexibility concerning beliefs about self and others. Second, this developmental legacy leads to a loss of confidence or precision afforded beliefs about the consequences of social behavior. This results in an over reliance on sensory evidence and social feedback, with concomitant lability, impulsivit2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Aug2025-04-19T23:07:32.284Z2025-04-19T23:07:32.284ZS-EPMC96937293597992410.1017/S0033291722002458