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Borderline Personality DisorderPhase 1/2BrainSTEADyNCT06626789

Brain Signal Training to Enhance Affect Down-regulation

A Phase 1/2 study testing Amygdala neurofeedback in people with Borderline Personality Disorder, run by Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim at 6 sites in Germany.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) experience intensive, instable negative emotions. Hyperactivity of the amygdala is assumed to drive exaggerated emotional responses in BPD. Neurofeedback is an endogenous neuromodulation method to address the imbalance of neural circuits. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Borderline Personality Disorder
What is being tested?
Amygdala neurofeedback
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
164 participants
Where
6 sitesGermany
Study dates
23 Apr 2025to Jun 2028
Phase
Phase 1/2
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 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

None listed.

Who cannot join

  • Treatment with benzodiazepines within 7 days prior the initial screening
  • Current alcohol or substance dependence
  • Meeting the diagnostic criteria for a psychotic disorder or schizophrenia (life-time), as determined by clinical interview at initial screening
  • Current or history of significant neurological condition (such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, space occupying lesions, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, vascular dementia, transient ischemic attack)
  • Significant visual impairment that might interfere with the performance of the behavioural tasks or fMRI tasks
  • Change of treatment (psychopharmacologic, psychological) 2 weeks prior to study participation or before completion of the post-assessment.
Show all 19Show fewer
  • Treatment with any neurofeedback three months prior to or during the study participation.
  • Unable or unwilling to comply with study procedures, including study prohibitions and restrictions
  • History of claustrophobia or inability to tolerate scanner environment
  • Fulfilling any of the MRI contraindications on the standard site radiography screening questionnaire (e.g. history of surgery involving metal implants)
  • Clinically relevant structural brain abnormality as determined by prior MRI scan
  • Planned medical treatment within the study period that might interfere with the study procedures
  • Participants deemed to be at significant risk of serious violence or suicide
  • BMI of 16.5 or lower
  • Participation in other clinical trials or observation period of competing trials, respectively
  • Previous participation in this trial
  • Pregnancy and lactation
  • Held in an institution by legal or official order
  • Legally incapacitated.

Trial locations and contacts

6 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Christian Paret-Voigt, Dr. contact

+4962117034462

christian.paret@zi-mannheim.de

6 sites in 1 country

Germany6 sites, 6 recruiting
  • University clinic Freiburg

    Freiburg im Breisgau, 79104

    Simon Maier, Dr., +49 (0) 761 65530, psy.brainsteady@uniklinik-freiburg.de

    Recruiting
  • University clinic Giessen

    Giessen, 35392

    Christian Schoenholz, Dr., +49 (0) 641 985 45702, Sekretariat-Mulert@psychiat.med.uni-giessen.de

    Recruiting
  • University Clinic Halle (Saale)

    Halle

    Jana Weise, +49-345-557-3795, jana.weise@uk-halle.de

    Not yet recruiting
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

    Hamburg

    Gregor Leicht, +49-40-7410-59520, g.leicht@uke.de

    Recruiting
  • Central Institute of Mental Health

    Mannheim, 68159

    Christian Paret, Dr., +49 621 1703 ext. 4462, brainsteady-teilnehmen@zi-mannheim.de

    Miroslava Jindrová, +49 621 1703 ext. 4463, brainsteady-teilnehmen@zi-mannheim.de

    Recruiting
  • University Clinic Tuebingen

    Tübingen, 72076

    Beatrix Barth, Dr., +49 (0) 761 65530, brainsteady@med.uni-tuebingen.de

    Recruiting

Other trials in Germany

About this study

Official title: A Multi-center, Patient-blinded and Investigator-blinded, Randomized, Parallel-group, Superiority Study to Compare the Efficacy of Four Sessions of Amygdala fMRI-BOLD Neurofeedback With Yoked Sham-control Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Dysregulated Affect in Borderline Personality Disorder

Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) experience intensive, instable negative emotions. Hyperactivity of the amygdala is assumed to drive exaggerated emotional responses in BPD. Neurofeedback is an endogenous neuromodulation method to address the imbalance of neural circuits. Downregulation of amygdala hyperactivation with neurofeedback may ameliorate dysregulated emotions in BPD. The BrainSTEADy trial is designed to determine whether amygdala-fMRI-BOLD neurofeedback has a specific effect on affect instability in BPD beyond nonspecific benefit.

Read the detailed description

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by self-mutilation, suicidality, and severe interpersonal disturbances. These symptoms reflect pervasive emotion regulation problems. On the neural level, BPD patients show an inflated amygdala response to emotional cues. In addition, they have reduced neural control of the amygdala. The amygdala controls emotional experience and behavior. Therefore, current psychobiological theories consider amygdala hyper-activity a causal mechanism for emotional overreaction in BPD.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows the recording of activation in subcortical brain regions, such as the amygdala, in real time. Live feedback from brain activation (e.g. via a thermometer with the temperature reflecting the degree of activation) allows one to learn the voluntary control of the brain. Dubbed "neurofeedback" (NF), the method can result in long-lasting changes in neural activation patterns. NF allows precise targeting of dysfunctional neuro-circuitries that relate to clinical symptoms.

The project proposed here investigates the clinical effectivity of fMRI-based amygdala-NF training in BPD. In total, 164 patients will participate in four training sessions provided by four study centers: Tuebingen, Freiburg, Giessen, and Mannheim. The training aims to reduce affective instability in everyday life, which is assessed primarily by ambulatory assessment before and after treatment. During NF sessions, patients receive feedback from the BOLD (Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) signal recorded in the amygdala while they view pictures with negative emotional content. The amygdala responds to these pictures with an activation increase. The patient observes the amygdala responding, illustrated via increased temperature in a thermometer beside the picture. The task is to decrease temperature. The procedure should teach patients to master overreaction at an early stage of neural emotion processing.

To assess the effectivity of amygdala-NF, a control group receives non-veridical feedback from a different patient. The investigators expect a significant reduction in affective instability with amygdala-NF. In addition, the investigators expect a greater reduction in affective instability in the amygdala-NF group versus the control group.

The trial will go through two stages of recruitment. Stage 1 is reached after recruitment of 82 participants. An interim analysis will be conducted. Depending on the results of the interim analysis, the trial will enter stage 2, ie. recruitment of the full number of planned participants.

Results from this study enable assessment of clinical efficacy of amygdala-NF. In the future, NF could serve as a precise tool for person-centered treatment of affective instability symptoms in mental disorders with severe emotion regulation problems such as BPD.

Being tested
Amygdala neurofeedback, Sham neurofeedback
Keywords
Neurofeedback, fMRI, Neuroimaging, Amygdala, Affect instability, Emotion
Medical subject headings
Borderline Personality Disorder

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Amygdala neurofeedbackBiological

    Real-time fMRI neurofeedback from amygdala's blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal + negative emotional picture viewing. Instruction to regulate feedback via down-regulation of one's emotional response.

  • Sham neurofeedbackBehavioural

    Recorded neurofeedback from a different participant + negative emotional picture viewing. Instruction to regulate feedback via down-regulation of one's emotional response.

Study groups in NCT06626789
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Intervention groupExperimentalReal-time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback from the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal of the amygdala
Receives: Biological: Amygdala neurofeedback
Control groupExperimentalFeedback that is less correlated with amygdala BOLD signal
Receives: Behavioral: Sham neurofeedback

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Affect Intensity, change from T0 to T1

    Mean score of negative affect scale measured via experience sampling using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Scale can take values from 1 to 7, high values mean higher affect intensity. EMA is conducted across 4 consecutive days, including a full weekend, when patients carry a smartphone that runs the EMA app. The app sends an auditory signal every hour, starting at 9 AM until 9 PM, to remind the patient to fill out the items.

    Measured: Completion of T0 EMA sampling within 12 days before first NF session. Start of T1 EMA sampling within 1 week after last NF session.

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Affect Intensity, change from T0 to T2

    Mean score of negative affect scale measured via experience sampling using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Scale can take values from 1 to 7, high values mean higher affect intensity. EMA is conducted across 4 consecutive days, including a full weekend, when patients carry a smartphone that runs the EMA app. The app sends an auditory signal every hour, starting at 9 AM until 9 PM, to remind the patient to fill out the items.

    Measured: Completion of T0 EMA sampling within 12 days before first NF session. Start of T2 EMA sampling within 14-16 weeks after last NF session.

  2. Borderline Symptom Severity, change from T0 to T1 and T0 to T2

    Zanarini Rating Scale for BPD, interview version (ZAN-BPD) total score. Total score can take values 0-36 with higher values meaning higher symptom burden.

    Measured: T0 assessed before first NF session (within 1-3 weeks). T1 assessed after last NF session (within 2-4 weeks). T2 assessed within 14-16 weeks after last NF session.

  3. Amygdala response, change from T0 to T1.

    BOLD-fMRI response in the amygdala to negative stimuli in the view-condition, during NF session 1, run 1, vs. last NF session, last run.

    Measured: Time Frame: T0 assessed at Baseline. T1 assessed at Post-Assessment immediately after treatment.

  4. Amygdala self-regulation, change from T0 to T1.

    BOLD-fMRI response in the amygdala to negative stimuli in the regulate-condition, during NF session 1, run 1, vs. last NF session, last run.

    Measured: Time Frame: T0 assessed at Baseline. T1 assessed at Post-Assessment immediately after treatment.

  5. Improvement in quality-adjusted life years (QALY), change from T0 to T3

    We measure health-related quality of life with the AQoL-6D (Centre for Health Economics, Monash University, 2016), a multi attribute utility instrument frequently used in health economic evaluations. We elicit quality adjusted life years (QALYs) from the AQoL-6D unweighted scorings by using established value sets. The derived QALYs range from 0.00 to 1.00, where 0.00 represents death and 1.00 a year in perfect health. We combine effects (QALYs) and costs of utilization between groups to receive incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER). Thus, we are able to present costs per QALY for the neurofeedback intervention to inform stakeholders in health care about reimbursement decisions.

    Measured: T0 assessed before first nf session (within 1-3 weeks). T3 assessed 6 months after last NF session.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted4 Oct 2024
  2. Study start23 Apr 2025
  3. Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completionJun 2028 (estimated)

Resources

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 1/2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
164 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06626789
Sponsor's protocol ID
BrainSTEADy
Acronym
BrainSTEADy
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
16 Sep 2024
Last updated
17 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Pseudonymized and de-identified data will be uploaded to a data repository hosted by University of Heidelberg (heiDATA).

Publications

  • Zaehringer J, Ende G, Santangelo P, Kleindienst N, Ruf M, Bertsch K, Bohus M, Schmahl C, Paret C. Improved emotion regulation after neurofeedback: A single-arm trial in patients with borderline personality disorder. Neuroimage Clin. 2019;24:102032. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102032. Epub 2019 Oct 16.

    PubMed 31795041
  • Paret C, Kluetsch R, Zaehringer J, Ruf M, Demirakca T, Bohus M, Ende G, Schmahl C. Alterations of amygdala-prefrontal connectivity with real-time fMRI neurofeedback in BPD patients. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2016 Jun;11(6):952-60. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsw016. Epub 2016 Feb 1.

    PubMed 26833918
  • Paret C, Kluetsch R, Ruf M, Demirakca T, Hoesterey S, Ende G, Schmahl C. Down-regulation of amygdala activation with real-time fMRI neurofeedback in a healthy female sample. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014 Sep 18;8:299. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00299. eCollection 2014.

    PubMed 25278851
  • Paret C, Jindrova M, Kleindienst N, Eck J, Breman H, Luhrs M, Barth B, Ethofer T, Fallgatter AJ, Goebel R, Hoell A, Lockhofen D, Reinhold AS, Maier S, Matthies S, Mulert C, Schonholz C, van Elst LT, Schmahl C. A randomised controlled trial of amygdala fMRI-neurofeedback versus sham-feedback in borderline-personality disorder - systematic literature review and introduction to the BrainSTEADy trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Jul 8;25(1):687. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-07000-1.

    PubMed 40629288

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1/2 study testing Amygdala neurofeedback in people with Borderline Personality Disorder, run by Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim at 6 sites in Germany.

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 0 inclusion and 19 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 6 sites in Germany. 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. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

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?

Contact Christian Paret-Voigt, Dr. (+4962117034462, christian.paret@zi-mannheim.de), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Affect Intensity, change from T0 to T1 (time frame: Completion of T0 EMA sampling within 12 days before first NF session. Start of T1 EMA sampling within 1 week after last NF session.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06626789, which also lists 4 linked publications.

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 17 Aug 2026.

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