Magnetic brain zaps aim to tame borderline personality disorder
NCT ID NCT07223619
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether gentle magnetic brain stimulation (TMS) can help people with borderline personality disorder better control their emotions and impulses. Up to 20 participants will receive brain scans, up to 3 TMS sessions, and computer tests over about 3 weeks. The goal is to find the best brain area to target for future treatments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new, non-invasive treatment option for borderline personality disorder that helps with emotional control and impulsivity.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 20 people, so results may not apply to everyone. It is early-stage research, and the treatment may not show clear benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2024
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age of 18-65 * DSM-5 Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) based upon a psychiatric evaluation and ZAN-BPD scale * Fluent English speaker * Ability to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * 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) * Active suicidal plan * Current diagnosis of Psychotic or Bipolar disorders
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Semel Institute/ UCLA TMS
Los Angeles, California, 90024, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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