Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Borderline Personality Disorder

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Disqualifiers: Alcohol abuse, Drug abuse, Suicidal plan, Psychotic, Bipolar

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

Duration: 3 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether a gentle, non-invasive brain treatment called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can help individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) manage their emotions and impulsive behaviors more effectively. Researchers aim to identify the optimal brain area to target for treating BPD symptoms. The study includes several in-person sessions and some computer-based testing over approximately three weeks. Individuals diagnosed with BPD who speak English fluently may be suitable candidates for this trial. As an unphased study, this trial offers participants the chance to contribute to groundbreaking research that could lead to new treatment options for BPD.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the study team to get a clear answer.

What prior data suggests that this method is safe for treating Borderline Personality Disorder?

Research has shown that Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is generally well-tolerated by individuals with mental health conditions such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Studies have found that TMS uses magnetic fields to gently stimulate the brain and improve symptoms. Evidence suggests it is safe, with serious side effects being rare. For instance, the risk of a seizure from TMS is less than 0.01%. Other research indicates that patients with BPD have responded well to TMS treatments, which is encouraging for its use in this condition. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Borderline Personality Disorder because it offers a non-invasive approach that directly targets brain regions associated with emotional regulation and impulse control. Unlike typical treatments like psychotherapy or medication, TMS delivers magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain, potentially providing faster results with fewer side effects. This technique specifically aims at the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a region linked to managing emotions, which could lead to significant improvements in symptoms with just a few sessions.

What evidence suggests that Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation might be an effective treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder?

Research shows that Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can help people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) by reducing symptoms such as mood swings, impulsivity, and aggressiveness. In this trial, participants will receive TMS targeting different brain regions, including the right and left Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex (VLPFC) and bilateral VLPFC. Previous studies have shown that TMS significantly improved these main symptoms. One study found that 87% of patients responded well to a specific type of TMS called intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS), with many experiencing high remission rates. While TMS is generally well tolerated, younger patients and those who have not used antidepressants before showed better results. Overall, these findings suggest TMS might be effective in managing BPD symptoms. ^{1 4 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for up to 20 people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Participants will join remotely and must be able to complete 4 in-person visits over up to 3 weeks. Specific eligibility criteria are not provided, but typically include being diagnosed with BPD and meeting certain health conditions.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 18 and 65 years old.

Ability to give informed consent

DSM-5 Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) based upon a psychiatric evaluation and ZAN-BPD scale

Exclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with a Psychotic or Bipolar disorder.

Medical conditions that prevent TMS or MRI to be performed safely upon evaluation by the study psychiatrist

Active alcohol or drug abuse of such severity that it would pose a risk for TMS administration (i.e., unstable motor thresholds or increased risk for seizure)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants undergo baseline assessments including MRI scans and cognitive behavioral testing

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to 3 different brain regions in 3 separate study visits

3 weeks

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in impulse control and emotion regulation after treatment

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Trial Overview The study tests if repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation method, can help control emotions and impulsivity in BPD patients. It includes an MRI scan, up to three TMS sessions, and cognitive behavioral testing.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Stimulation to Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Each subjects will receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS to 3 different brain regions in 3 separate study visits spaced by at least 4 days (order randomized and counterbalanced amongst subjects). 1. Right Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex or VLPFC 2. Left VLPFC 3. Bilateral: left and right VLPFC within 1 session The experimenters will utilize the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator equipped with the Cool B70 coil stimulate The TMS protocol includes 1800 pulses of excitatory intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) at 120% MT intensity. This protocol will take less than 9 minutes (for each target).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,594

Recruited

10,430,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12438649/

Efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation in borderline ... In conclusion, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation leads to significant reductions in main symptoms, such as mood swings, impulsivity, aggressiveness, emotional ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S305052912500100X

Transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat 101 patients with ... Remission rates were 87% for accelerated and 63% for standard iTBS. •. iTBS was well tolerated; younger and antidepressant-naïve patients showed better outcomes ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07197502

Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder With rTMS This project studies the effectiveness of brain stimulation on borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. This study is blinded, randomized and will ...

4. annals-general-psychiatry.biomedcentral.com annals-general-psychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12991-025-00561-1

Non-invasive brain stimulation for borderline personality ... Experimental studies show that excitatory DlPFC stimulation improves cognitive control of aversive stimuli in both healthy individuals and BPD ...

5. tmsjournal.org tmsjournal.org/article/S3050-5291(25)00072-8/fulltext

TMS Effectiveness as Treatment for Patients With Comorbid ... Every study except for a single outlier indicated significant improvement in depression symptoms, whereas only 50% of the studies that observed BPD symptoms ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8804206/

Brain Connectivity and Symptom Changes After Transcranial ... We hypothesized that prefrontal rTMS in patients with BPD leads to improved BPD symptoms and that these effects are associated with brain connectivity changes.

7. momentofclarity.com momentofclarity.com/using-tms-therapy-for-bpd-recovery/

TMS and BPD: Can TMS Help Mental Health? Safety profile: The research suggests that rTMS is a well-tolerated treatment in patients with BPD, which is encouraging for its potential therapeutic use.

8. my.clevelandclinic.org my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17827-transcranial-magnetic-stimulation-tms

TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation): What It Is It's safe. Seizures are the most common serious side effect of TMS, but these are very rare. Your risk of having a seizure from TMS is less than 0.01% ...