Cognitive Control of Negative Stimuli in BPD

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the Cognitive Control of Negative Stimuli in Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by impairments in the cognitive control of negative information. These impairments in cognitive control are presumably due to blunted activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) along with enhanced activations of the limbic system. However, the impact of an excitatory stimulation of the dlPFC still needs to be elucidated. In the present study, we therefore assigned 50 patients with BPD and 50 healthy controls to receive either anodal or sham stimulation of the right dlPFC in a double-blind, randomized, between-subjects design.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: transcranial DC stimulation : anodal; Device: transcranial DC stimulation : sham

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria Borderline Personality Disorder:

• Diagnosis of borderline personality disorder

Exclusion Criteria Borderline Personality Disorder:

• Diagnosis of current or previous bipolar disorder
• Diagnosis of current substance dependency
• Diagnosis of current major depression
• Diagnosis of current or previous neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy)
• Tattoos or scarred skin on the left shoulder or scalp (i.e. F4)

Inclusion Criteria Control Participants:

• No current or previous diagnosis of a mental disorder

Exclusion Criteria Control Participants:

• More than 2 criteria of borderline personality disorder are met
• Diagnosis of current or previous neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy)
• Intake of psychotropic medication
• Tattoos or scarred skin on the left shoulder or scalp (i.e. F4)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Anodal stimulation; transcranial DC stimulation : anodal	Device: transcranial DC stimulation : anodal; anodal stimulation of the right dlPFC (i.e. F4) for 20 minutes
Sham Comparator: Sham stimulation; transcranial DC stimulation : sham	Device: transcranial DC stimulation : sham; sham stimulation of the right dlPFC (i.e. F4) for 20 minutes

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Response latencies	Response latencies were measured in the context of a delayed working memory task. In this paradigm, each trial started with a fixation cross (1000 ms), followed by the presentation of six target letters (1500 ms), which participants were asked to memorize. After a variable distracter period (i.e., interference duration of 1000, 2000, or 4000 ms), participants were presented a recognition display (until a response was made) and had to decide whether the presented letter was part of the initial set of letters. In half of the trials, the recognition display contained a previously presented target. The distracter period of the experimental paradigm was manipulated with regard to the factors valence (grey background screen, or neutral, or negative stimuli) and interference duration (1000, 2000, or 4000 ms). Neutral and negative affective stimuli were selected from the International Affective Picture System.	Response latencies were exclusively measured during the assigned interventions, which lasted approx. 20 minutes. No further time points were assessed.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Freie Universität Berlin

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 10, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 15, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): August 17, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): February 22, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 21, 2024
• Last Verified: February 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Personality Disorders; Borderline Personality Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: tDCS_BPD

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No