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Pilot Trial of TMS and D-cycloserine for Suicidal BPD

This study is testing a new treatment for people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) who are experiencing suicidal thoughts. The treatment combines a medication called D-cycloserine (250mg taken once) with a brain stimulation therapy called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). TMS involves delivering magnetic pulses to the brain over one day. Researchers want to see if this combined treatment is acceptable to participants, causes changes in the brain, and helps improve BPD symptoms and suicidal thoughts. They also want to know if any benefits last over time. You may be able to join if you are an adult (18+) with BPD and moderate to severe suicidal thoughts.

Study design
This is an interventional pilot study with a planned enrollment of 20 participants. The phase of the study is not specified.
What's involved
You would come to the clinic for interviews and testing, complete weekly questionnaires for four weeks before treatment, take D-cycloserine the night before, and attend one treatment day at the clinic.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
The acceptability of the intervention will be measured at Week 5, suggesting follow-up for at least five weeks after treatment.

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NCT07460947

A Pilot Trial of One-Day Accelerated TMS and D-cycloserine in Suicidal Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder

Recruiting
PHASE1Ages 18+InterventionalTreatment
Mclean Hospital
~20 participants
Updated 2026-08-05 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:TMSD-Cycloserine (DCS)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)
Measured over Week 5
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Explore related trials

Borderline Personality Disorder

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Massachusetts1

Study leadership

  • Jenna M Traynor, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Mclean Hospital
  • Joshua Brown, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Mclean Hospital

Who to contact

Alexandra Velev, BA
[email protected]
617-855-3430
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Adult (18+) of any gender
Meets DSM-5 criteria for BPD, per assessment with the Structured Clinic Interview for DSM-5 Personality Disorders (SCID-5-PD), BPD Module
Moderate to severe SI during the two weeks prior to screening, as indexed by a score of 9 or higher on the Modified Scale for Suicide Ideation - Self Report (Clum \& Yang, 1995)

Exclusion

Current manic or hypomanic symptoms, as assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment Research Tool (DART) screener and diagnostic modules, where relevant.
Current clinically significant psychotic symptoms not better accounted for by BPD, as assessed by the DART psychotic symptoms screener.
Current alcohol or substance use disorder, that in the opinion of a study PIs, is of sufficient severity to impede engagement in treatment or is associated with significant risk of medical withdrawal, as assessed by the DART.
Medical documentation or self-report of current anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder not otherwise specified - atypical anorexia nervosa or atypical bulimia nervosa, that is in the opinion of a study PIs is of sufficient severity to be associated with significant medical risks
Acute suicide risk, sufficient to require immediate hospitalization;
history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion involving loss of consciousness or amnesia for ≥24 hours;
any significant neurological disorder likely to be associated with increased intracranial pressure or cognitive impairment (e.g., epilepsy; Parkinson's disease);
diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder (e.g., autism, downs syndrome; Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) other than attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or dyslexia
current diagnosis of delirium or dementia;
cognitive disorder secondary to a general medical condition
Pregnant and breastfeeding people are excluded in line with the studies our protocol is based upon using DCS and aTMS. Assessment of pregnancy will be completed during the 1-week prior to the administration of DCS (i.e., taken the night before TMS treatment), where relevant and according to MGB IRB policy.
Participants with contraindications to TMS (e.g., metal in head or neck area), or at increased risk for adverse events (e.g., seizure history or markedly heightened risk factors for seizures, serious medical problems, implanted devices) will be excluded.
Participants with a known allergy to DCS will be excluded from the study.
No patients with involuntary hospitalization status will be recruited for the study.
No individuals who are not proficient in English will be recruited for the study
Subject does not have a PCP

What this trial measures

  • Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)Week 5

    Feasibility of the one-day TMS treatment will be indexed by favorable ratings on the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM). The AIM is a four-item measure that assesses participants' approval of an intervention. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale (completely disagree - completely agree), and total scores indicate greater acceptance of an intervention.

  • Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs)Within 10 minutes pre- and 5 minutes post- treatment sessions 1,2,10,and final session

    MEPS will be recorded before and after treatment sessions 1, 2, 10, and the final session. Specifically, MEPS will be collected within 10 minutes before treatment session onset and within 5 minutes after treatment session completion. An increase in motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) over the TMS treatment course indicates increased plasticity.