Pain and pleasure: affective somatosensory processing and emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder (BPD)

Pain and pleasure: affective somatosensory processing and emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder (BPD) - SAVE

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00035205

Enrollment

140

Registered

2025-06-26

Start date

2025-06-25

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-10-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

F60.31

Interventions

Group 1: Participants with borderline personality disorder. Sub-study 1: The perception of pain and pleasant touch is being assessed as well as their interaction. Sub-study 2: The effect of pleasant

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 50 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: german speaking, capability to provide informed consent Additionally for clinical participants: bpd diagnosis

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: For every participant: - Existing substance dependence - Existing or past bipolar disorder - Existing or past schizophrenia - Use of psychotropic drugs (except SSRIs & SNRIs) within seven days prior to study participation - Use of pain drugs three daays prior to study participation - Exclusion in MRI study, if MRI compatibility is not given. For healthy subjects: - Existing mental illness

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Sub-study 1: The perception of pain and pleasant touch is recorded using visual analogue scales. The goal is to see whether the alterations are intraindividually related to each other. Sub-study 2: Feelings of social exclusion in the Cyberball task following subsequent pleasant or neutral touch will be recorded. The goal is to examine the effects of pleasant touch on the reduction of social distress. Sub-study 3: Brain activity (in amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex & dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) following pain and pleasant touch will be recorded.	—

Measure

Time frame

Sub-study 1: The perception of pain and pleasant touch is recorded using visual analogue scales. The goal is to see whether the alterations are intraindividually related to each other. Sub-study 2: Feelings of social exclusion in the Cyberball task following subsequent pleasant or neutral touch will be recorded. The goal is to examine the effects of pleasant touch on the reduction of social distress. Sub-study 3: Brain activity (in amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex & dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) following pain and pleasant touch will be recorded.

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Sub-study 1: The goal is to find out if alterations in the perception of pain and pleasant touch are related to early traumatization, BPD symptom severity and non-suicidal self harm. Sub-study 2: The evaluation of negative and neutral images after the induction of pain (with or without pain stimulus) will be recorded. Sub-study 3: Functional connectivity (between frontal cortex and posterior insula as well as amygdala) following pain and pleasant touch will be measured.	—

Measure

Time frame

Sub-study 1: The goal is to find out if alterations in the perception of pain and pleasant touch are related to early traumatization, BPD symptom severity and non-suicidal self harm. Sub-study 2: The evaluation of negative and neutral images after the induction of pain (with or without pain stimulus) will be recorded. Sub-study 3: Functional connectivity (between frontal cortex and posterior insula as well as amygdala) following pain and pleasant touch will be measured.

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Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactJessica Nunes

Universitätsklinik RWTH Aachen, Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Scientific Center for Neuropathic Pain SCNAACHEN

jenunes@ukaachen.de0241 99793-211

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026