Cognition, Mood and Sleep in Borderline Personality Disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cognition, Mood and Sleep in people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder
IRAS ID
345175
Contact name
Paul Harrison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance Team (RGEA), University of Oxford
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common mental health diagnosis characterised by affective instability, interpersonal difficulties and behavioural dysregulation. Assessment of symptoms and treatment outcomes are highly reliant on self-reported symptoms and objective measures are lacking. There has been increasing interest in the use of digital devices to better quantify lived experience of those diagnosed with mental disorders.
This is a prospective longitudinal observational study using at-home technologies to assess cognition, brain activity, mood and sleep in individuals diagnosed with BPD compared to those with no mental health disorder.
The primary aim of the study is to explore the tolerability and feasibility of the Cumulus platform which integrates measurements of brain activity using portable electroencephalography (EEG) alongside assessments of cognition. In addition, we will use actigraphy watches to measure activity and sleep, and online questionnaires to capture self-reported mood.
The secondary aim of the study is to assess whether these technologies can detect variability in symptoms across time within individuals, and if there are any differences in observable characteristics between individuals diagnosed with BPD and non-affected individuals
We will recruit 30 participants with BPD, and 20 non-affected individuals, aged between 18-35 years old and any gender.
The study will be conducted at the Warneford Hospital, Oxford. Eligible participants will complete a baseline in-person screening visit to undergo an informed consent process, clinical interview, provide demographic information and complete validated self-report questionnaires. They will be trained in how to use the devices to complete assessments at home at regular intervals. The frequency with which participants are expected to use the devices will vary across different phases of the study. Total study duration is 7 weeks, after which there will be a final in-person visit to complete a qualitative feedback interview.
The study is a three-way academic collaboration between Oxford University, Boehringer Ingelheim and Cumulus Neuroscience.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/YH/0281
Date of REC Opinion
23 Dec 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion