Borderline Personality Disorder BPDBABONCT07428200
Characterization of the Neural Bases of Mental Imagery in Individuals With Borderline Personality Disorder: An EEG Study
A study testing 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form in people with Borderline Personality Disorder BPD, run by Hôpital le Vinatier at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves altered social cognition, notably dysfunctional processing of cues signaling potential social exclusion and heightened social pain. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Borderline Personality Disorder BPD
- What is being tested?
- 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 62 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2026to 1 Mar 2029
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- For patients, a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (established by a board-certified psychiatrist during a structured interview using the MINI) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
- For healthy individuals, no psychiatric disorders according to the DSM-5 (except for tobacco use)
- Must be between 18 and 40 years old
- Must provide a signed, free, and informed consent form
- To be affiliated with a social security scheme in France or to be a beneficiary of such a scheme
Who cannot join
- Known neurological disorders (patient group and control participants)
- Comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., current depressive episode; ADHD treated with methylphenidate; bipolar disorder)
- Active substance use disorder (excluding tobacco)
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Guardianship
- Consuming more than three alcoholic drinks in the past 24 hours
- Consuming alcohol on the day of the experiment
- Consuming tea or coffee less than one hour before the experiment
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France1 site
Centre Hospitalier le Vinatier
Bron, 69500
Jérôme J BRUNELIN, PhD, +33 (0)437915297 ext. +33, jerome.brunelin@ch-le-vinatier.fr
Irene I Cristofori, +33(0)4 37 91 12 68 ext. +33, irene.cristofori@univ.lyon1.fr
About this study
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves altered social cognition, notably dysfunctional processing of cues signaling potential social exclusion and heightened social pain. This study uses EEG during a controlled Cyberball task to test whether BPD patients show a functionally altered social-pain network, particularly increased theta activity, when experiencing induced social exclusion.
Read the detailed description
A central feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is an alteration of social cognition processes. Among the impairments described in the literature, the processing of signals evoking potential social exclusion appears to be particularly dysfunctional in patients with BPD. This deficient processing may underlie the experiences of "social pain" frequently reported in this population. Social pain refers to the negative experience felt when an individual perceives themselves as being excluded from a social context.
Over the past several years, the development of experimental paradigms aimed at exploring social cognition has shown that it is possible to induce feelings of social pain in controlled settings. These studies have also revealed that neural substrates such as the anterior insula, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the prefrontal cortex are involved not only in the processing of physical pain signals but also in the processing of social pain.
Although the neural networks associated with social pain are now well identified, the underlying neural and cognitive mechanisms remain poorly understood.
One possible avenue for understanding the neural and cognitive mechanisms of social pain in patients with BPD lies in examining electroencephalographic activity originating from these regions during the processing of social exclusion signals. Indeed, previous studies have highlighted the involvement of theta rhythms in the processing of social exclusion signals in healthy individuals.
- Conditions
- Borderline Personality Disorder BPD
- Being tested
- 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation formBehavioural
Upon arrival, during electrode placement, participants will complete a stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) task measuring cognitive control for approximately ten minutes.
Following this, they will participate in an online ball game, Cyberball, a controlled laboratory task simulating social inclusion or exclusion.
The Cyberball task will last approximately 20 minutes and will consist of three experimental conditions presented in a fixed order: passive viewing, inclusion, and then exclusion. During this time, participants' visual activity will be measured using eye tracking.
At the end of the Cyberball game, participants will complete:
- Social Ostracism and Cohesion Rating Scales
- Need Threat Scale
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| matched healthy controls | Placebo comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form |
| patient with borderline personality disorder | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Theta oscillation power in brain regions associated with social pain (e.g., frontal cortex, insula, ACC).
Using EEG, this project aims to determine whether patients with borderline personality disorder show alterations within the neural network of social pain (increased theta) when they experience social pain (Cyberball task score from 0% to 100%), a heightened perception of social pain compared to control subjects, and dysfunctional social attentional capture. The findings could deepen our understanding of social pain and the dysfunctional mechanisms underlying the disorder. The project may open new avenues for interventions aimed at reducing social pain or sensitivity to social pain in individuals with borderline personality disorder.
Measured: From enrollment to the unique visit which last 2 hours. Cyberball Game during EEG: duration about 20 minutes
Secondary outcomes (3)
The degree of social pain perception
Score on the Needs Threat Scale (Van Beest \& Williams, 2006) Score from 12 to 62 , assessing the degree of social pain
Measured: From enrollment until the unique visit which last 2 hours. The scale completion last 10 minutes.
Social attention
The Visual attention as measured by eye tracking during the social pain task
Measured: From enrollment until the unique visit which last 2 hours. 30 minutes before Cyberball
the characterization of cognitive control performance between TPB patients and volunteers
Measured: From enrollment until the unique visit which last 2 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Feb 2026
- Study start1 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Mar 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Borderline Personality Disorder BPDStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Hôpital le VinatierThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A prospective study comparing a group of healthy volunteers and a group of subjects diagnosed with borderline personality disorder during a single experimental EEG session.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital le Vinatier
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07428200
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-A02401-48
- Acronym
- BABO
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 17 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Characterization of the Neural Bases of Mental Imagery in Individuals With Borderline Personality Disorder: An EEG Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07428200
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BABO / 2025-A02401-48
- Conditions
- Borderline Personality Disorder BPD
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital le VinatierUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Mar 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 23 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves altered social cognition, notably dysfunctional processing of cues signaling potential social exclusion and heightened social pain. This study uses EEG during a controlled Cyberball task to test whether BPD patients show a functionally altered social-pain network, particularly increased theta activity, when experiencing induced social exclusion.
Detailed description
A central feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is an alteration of social cognition processes. Among the impairments described in the literature, the processing of signals evoking potential social exclusion appears to be particularly dysfunctional in patients with BPD. This deficient processing may underlie the experiences of "social pain" frequently reported in this population. Social pain refers to the negative experience felt when an individual perceives themselves as being excluded from a social context.
Over the past several years, the development of experimental paradigms aimed at exploring social cognition has shown that it is possible to induce feelings of social pain in controlled settings. These studies have also revealed that neural substrates such as the anterior insula, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the prefrontal cortex are involved not only in the processing of physical pain signals but also in the processing of social pain.
Although the neural networks associated with social pain are now well identified, the underlying neural and cognitive mechanisms remain poorly understood.
One possible avenue for understanding the neural and cognitive mechanisms of social pain in patients with BPD lies in examining electroencephalographic activity originating from these regions during the processing of social exclusion signals. Indeed, previous studies have highlighted the involvement of theta rhythms in the processing of social exclusion signals in healthy individuals.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- A prospective study comparing a group of healthy volunteers and a group of subjects diagnosed with borderline personality disorder during a single experimental EEG session.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| matched healthy controls | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form |
| patient with borderline personality disorder | Active comparator | Behavioral: 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- For patients, a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (established by a board-certified psychiatrist during a structured interview using the MINI) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
- For healthy individuals, no psychiatric disorders according to the DSM-5 (except for tobacco use)
- Must be between 18 and 40 years old
- Must provide a signed, free, and informed consent form
- To be affiliated with a social security scheme in France or to be a beneficiary of such a scheme
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Known neurological disorders (patient group and control participants)
- Comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., current depressive episode; ADHD treated with methylphenidate; bipolar disorder)
- Active substance use disorder (excluding tobacco)
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Guardianship
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation formUpon arrival, during electrode placement, participants will complete a stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) task measuring cognitive control for approximately ten minutes. Following this, they will participate in an online ball game, Cyberball, a controlled laboratory task simulating social inclusion or exclusion. The Cyberball task will last approximately 20 minutes and will consist of three experimental conditions presented in a fixed order: passive viewing, inclusion, and then exclusion. During this time, participants' visual activity will be measured using eye tracking. At the end of the Cyberball game, participants will complete: * Social Ostracism and Cohesion Rating Scales * Need Threat Scale | Behavioural | matched healthy controls, patient with borderline personality disorder |
Primary outcome
Theta oscillation power in brain regions associated with social pain (e.g., frontal cortex, insula, ACC).
Time frame: From enrollment to the unique visit which last 2 hours. Cyberball Game during EEG: duration about 20 minutes
Using EEG, this project aims to determine whether patients with borderline personality disorder show alterations within the neural network of social pain (increased theta) when they experience social pain (Cyberball task score from 0% to 100%), a heightened perception of social pain compared to control subjects, and dysfunctional social attentional capture. The findings could deepen our understanding of social pain and the dysfunctional mechanisms underlying the disorder. The project may open new avenues for interventions aimed at reducing social pain or sensitivity to social pain in individuals with borderline personality disorder.
3 secondary outcomes
The degree of social pain perception
Time frame: From enrollment until the unique visit which last 2 hours. The scale completion last 10 minutes.
Social attention
Time frame: From enrollment until the unique visit which last 2 hours. 30 minutes before Cyberball
the characterization of cognitive control performance between TPB patients and volunteers
Time frame: From enrollment until the unique visit which last 2 hours
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Centre Hospitalier le Vinatier
Bron, France
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing 2 Tasks : - stop signal reaction time and Cyberball then ill out an evaluation form in people with Borderline Personality Disorder BPD, run by Hôpital le Vinatier at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Theta oscillation power in brain regions associated with social pain (e.g., frontal cortex, insula, ACC). (time frame: From enrollment to the unique visit which last 2 hours. Cyberball Game during EEG: duration about 20 minutes). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Feb 2026.