Denna sida har översatts automatiskt och översättningens korrekthet kan inte garanteras. Vänligen se engelsk version för en källtext.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Versus Theta Burst Stimulation on Impulsivity, Emotional Dysregulation, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Borderline Personality Disorder Patients (TMS and TBS)

1 november 2026 uppdaterad av: Dina ussein, Ain Shams University

Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Versus Theta Burst Stimulation on Impulsivity, Emotional Dysregulation, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in a Sample of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

the goal of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The study aims to assess whether these brain stimulation techniques can reduce symptoms of emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and non-suicidal self-injury.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does high-frequency rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) improve emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and non-suicidal self-injury in patients with BPD? Does intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the left DLPFC produce similar therapeutic effects? How does the efficacy of rTMS and iTBS compare to sham stimulation after completing the treatment course?

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:

  1. High-frequency rTMS group
  2. Intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) group
  3. Sham stimulation group Each participant will receive 15-20 stimulation sessions over the left DLPFC. Changes in emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and non-suicidal self-injury symptoms will be evaluated before and after treatment.

Studieöversikt

Status

Rekrytering

Betingelser

Intervention / Behandling

Detaljerad beskrivning

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex psychiatric condition characterized by emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and recurrent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).

Although psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions remain the mainstay of treatment, many patients continue to experience severe emotional instability and impulsivity. Neuromodulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and theta burst stimulation (TBS) have recently shown promise in modulating fronto-limbic circuits involved in emotion regulation.

This prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate and compare the therapeutic efficacy of high-frequency rTMS and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in patients diagnosed with BPD. The interventions are expected to enhance prefrontal modulation of limbic activity, thereby improving emotional regulation, reducing impulsivity, and decreasing non-suicidal self-injury behaviors.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:

Group 1: High-frequency rTMS (5 Hz, 1200 pulses/session, 80-110% RMT, 21 min total) Group 2: Intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS, 50 Hz bursts, 600 pulses/session, 80-120% RMT, 21 min total) Group 3: Sham stimulation (matched duration and sound without magnetic output) All participants will continue their standard therapy for BPD, including weekly Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) sessions during the study. Each participant will receive 20 sessions over 4 weeks (5 sessions per week). Allocation concealment will be ensured using sealed, numbered envelopes prepared by an independent administrator, and both participants and assessors will be blinded to group assignment.

Clinical assessments will include:

Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) for BPD diagnosis General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to screen for psychiatric comorbidities Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form (DERS-16) Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI) Measurements will be taken at baseline (pre-intervention) and after completion of the stimulation sessions (post-intervention).

Safety procedures will follow international TMS safety guidelines (Rossi et al., 2009; Lefaucheur et al., 2020). Adverse effects such as transient headache or scalp discomfort will be monitored, and any serious adverse events (e.g., seizures) will be immediately reported to the Research Ethics Committee.

This study seeks to determine whether rTMS or iTBS is more effective than sham stimulation in improving emotion regulation, reducing impulsivity, and decreasing self-harm behaviors. It will also explore whether iTBS, with its shorter session duration, provides a comparable or superior therapeutic benefit to conventional rTMS.

Studietyp

Interventionell

Inskrivning (Beräknad)

45

Fas

  • Inte tillämpbar

Kontakter och platser

Det här avsnittet innehåller kontaktuppgifter för dem som genomför studien och information om var denna studie genomförs.

Studiekontakt

Studieorter

    • Cairo Governorate
      • Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypten, 11252
        • Rekrytering
        • Ainshams University Hospitals
        • Kontakt:

Deltagandekriterier

Forskare letar efter personer som passar en viss beskrivning, så kallade behörighetskriterier. Några exempel på dessa kriterier är en persons allmänna hälsotillstånd eller tidigare behandlingar.

Urvalskriterier

Åldrar som är berättigade till studier

21 år till 50 år (Vuxen)

Tar emot friska volontärer

Nej

Kön som är behöriga för studier

Allt

Beskrivning

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 1. Age range: 21-50 years old. 2. Gender: males and females 3. Borderline personality disorder diagnosis

Exclusion Criteria:

- 1. Presence of other uncontrolled mental illness that precludes the ability to provide informed consent (e.g.; acute psychosis, bipolar disorder currently in manic episode, major depressive disorder with recent suicidal attempt).

2. Patients with contraindications to TMS as cardiac patients with pacemakers, metallic implants as cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, stents, and deep brain stimulation electrodes.

Studieplan

Det här avsnittet ger detaljer om studieplanen, inklusive hur studien är utformad och vad studien mäter.

Hur är studien utformad?

Designdetaljer

  • Primärt syfte: Behandling
  • Tilldelning: Randomiserad
  • Interventionsmodell: Parallellt uppdrag
  • Maskning: Dubbel

Vapen och interventioner

Deltagargrupp / Arm
Intervention / Behandling
Aktiv komparator: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Participants receive 15-20 sessions of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Each session lasts approximately 21 minutes.

rTMS will be delivered at 5 Hz frequency, 1200 pulses per session, at 80-110% of the individual's resting motor threshold (RMT). Stimulation will be applied to the left DLPFC (F3 according to the 10-20 EEG system) using a figure-of-eight coil. Each session includes 18 minutes of active stimulation followed by 3 minutes of sham stimulation on the target site. Sessions are administered 5 days per week for 4 weeks (total 20 sessions).

Andra namn:
  • rTMS
Aktiv komparator: Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation Group

Participants receive 15-20 sessions of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Each session lasts approximately 21 minutes.

iTBS will be delivered as 50 Hz bursts (three pulses per burst, 5 Hz bursts) at 80-120% of resting motor threshold, totaling 600 pulses per session. Stimulation will be applied over the left DLPFC (F3 site, 10-20 EEG system). Each session includes 3 minutes of active iTBS and 18 minutes of sham stimulation. Sessions are administered 5 days per week for 4 weeks (total 20 sessions).

Andra namn:
  • iTBS
Sham Comparator: Sham Stimulation Group

Participants receive sham stimulation sessions identical in duration and sound to the active conditions but without active magnetic output.

Sham stimulation will be delivered using the same coil orientation and acoustic cues as the active conditions, but with the magnetic field output disabled. Each session includes 18 minutes of sham rTMS and 3 minutes of sham TBS over the left DLPFC (F3 site). Sessions are administered 5 days per week for 4 weeks (total 20 sessions).

Vad mäter studien?

Primära resultatmått

Resultatmått
Åtgärdsbeskrivning
Tidsram
improvement of impulsivity in BPD as assessed by barratt impulsivity scale (BIS)
Tidsram: 20 sessions given over 1 month

Improvement of results of The barratt impulsivity scale (BIS) measured before starting sessions and after finishing 20 sessions

20 sessions given over 1 month

Sekundära resultatmått

Resultatmått
Åtgärdsbeskrivning
Tidsram
improvement of emotional dysregulation as per Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale(DERS)
Tidsram: 20 sessions1 month

Improvement of results of DERS measured before starting sessions and after finishing 20 sessions

20 sessions1 month
improvement of non-suicidal self injury
Tidsram: 20 sessions given in 1 month

Improvement of results of The Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI) measured before starting sessions and after finishing 20 sessions

20 sessions given in 1 month

Samarbetspartners och utredare

Det är här du hittar personer och organisationer som är involverade i denna studie.

Sponsor

Utredare

  • Studierektor: mohamed F professor Dr, MD of psychiatry, ainshams university

Publikationer och användbara länkar

Den som ansvarar för att lägga in information om studien tillhandahåller frivilligt dessa publikationer. Dessa kan handla om allt som har med studien att göra.

Studieavstämningsdatum

Dessa datum spårar framstegen för inlämningar av studieposter och sammanfattande resultat till ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter och rapporterade resultat granskas av National Library of Medicine (NLM) för att säkerställa att de uppfyller specifika kvalitetskontrollstandarder innan de publiceras på den offentliga webbplatsen.

Studera stora datum

Studiestart (Faktisk)

1 december 2025

Primärt slutförande (Beräknad)

1 juni 2027

Avslutad studie (Beräknad)

1 augusti 2027

Studieregistreringsdatum

Först inskickad

1 november 2026

Först inskickad som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna

1 november 2026

Första postat (Faktisk)

5 november 2026

Uppdateringar av studier

Senaste uppdatering publicerad (Faktisk)

5 november 2026

Senaste inskickade uppdateringen som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna

1 november 2026

Senast verifierad

1 november 2026

Mer information

Termer relaterade till denna studie

Andra studie-ID-nummer

  • FMASU MD169/2025

Plan för individuella deltagardata (IPD)

Planerar du att dela individuella deltagardata (IPD)?

JA

IPD-planbeskrivning

de-identified individual participant data will be available upon reasonable request after publication of the primary results

Tidsram för IPD-delning

5 years after publication

IPD-delning som stöder informationstyp

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF
  • CSR

Läkemedels- och apparatinformation, studiedokument

Studerar en amerikansk FDA-reglerad läkemedelsprodukt

Nej

Studerar en amerikansk FDA-reglerad produktprodukt

Ja

produkt tillverkad i och exporterad från U.S.A.

Ja

Denna information hämtades direkt från webbplatsen clinicaltrials.gov utan några ändringar. Om du har några önskemål om att ändra, ta bort eller uppdatera dina studieuppgifter, vänligen kontakta register@clinicaltrials.gov. Så snart en ändring har implementerats på clinicaltrials.gov, kommer denna att uppdateras automatiskt även på vår webbplats .