19/06/2024
Exciting news! Our latest research paper titled "Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation to acutely reduce emotional vulnerability and improve emotional regulation in borderline personality disorder (tVNS-BPD): study protocol for a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial," has been published!
In this study, we investigate the use of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) as a novel approach to help individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) manage their emotions better. BPD is characterized by heightened sensitivity to emotion, increased emotional intensity/reactivity, and a slow return to emotional baseline, often exacerbated by invalidating environments. Our aim is to determine if tVNS can effectively reduce emotional vulnerability and improve emotional regulation in BPD patients.
We are currently conducting a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial with forty-two patients receiving either a single session of tVNS or sham-taVNS while they watch emotionally evocative videos. The trial is ongoing and is expected to be completed next year. This research could provide new insights into the role of vagal tone in emotion dysregulation in BPD and offer preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of tVNS as a non-invasive treatment option.
This work is a collaborative effort among Sophie I. Liljedahl, Hanne K. Carlsen, Marta López Muñoz, Alexander R. Daros, Anthony C. Ruocco, Steinn Steingrimsson, and myself.
You can read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08230-6. Feel free to share your thoughts and comments!
