Bonsai trees in your head: how the pavlovian system sculpts goal-directed choices by pruning decision trees.
Quentin J M Huys, Neir Eshel, Elizabeth O'Nions...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22412360Actively Recruiting
Phase Not Applicable
Age: 18Years - 45Years
All Genders
Healthy Volunteers
ID06880640
Affect-based Impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder: Developing a Neurocomputational Phenotype
Led by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Updated on 2025-09-24
106
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Lead Sponsor
N
North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are investigating how personality traits and neuroendocrine systems affect decision-making in people aged 18 to 45 years, focusing on affect-based impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The study aims to understand how nervous system activity influences decision patterns, particularly in social situations, by developing a neurocomputational profile. This research is supported by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Participants will undergo a stress induction procedure called the Trier Social Stress Test, which includes public speaking and mental arithmetic tasks about 1 hour and 35 minutes into the session. During a single study visit lasting around two hours, they will complete online behavioral tasks, self-report surveys, and cognitive assessments. Psychophysiological measures such as heart rate, blood flow, electrodermal activity, as well as blood and saliva samples, will be collected to monitor nervous system responses. Throughout the visit, researchers will measure goal-directed decision-making and bias toward social actions using the Social Decision Tree Task. Other assessments include electrocardiogram (ECG), cardiac impedance (ICG), and questionnaires. Participants must be available for the entire visit and willing to follow study procedures. The study does not involve any masking or blinding and includes healthy volunteers as well as individuals with BPD.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Affect-based Impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder
Who Can Participate
Age: 18Years - 45Years
All Genders
Healthy Volunteers
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age between 18 and 45 years
- Signed and dated informed consent form provided
- Willingness to comply with all study procedures and lifestyle considerations
- Ability to participate in all components of the study
- Ability to speak, understand, and read English
- Visual acuity of at least 20/40 (corrected or uncorrected)
- For Borderline Personality Disorder group: score of 38 or higher on Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Scale (PAI-BOR)
- For BPD group recruited from DEPENd lab: at least 3 BPD symptoms including affective instability and a score of 80 or higher on the Reynolds Intellectual Screening Test (RIST)
- For Healthy Control group: score of 12 or lower on PAI-BOR and below 50th percentile on World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)
- Absence of any current or lifetime psychiatric disorder for Healthy Controls
You will not qualify if you...
- Use of as needed antihypertensive agents within 12 hours prior to lab visit
- Inability to refrain from using as needed psychotropic medications for 12 hours prior to lab visit
- History of psychotic disorder, Bipolar I disorder, autism spectrum disorder, reactive attachment disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, motor disorder, head injury, mental retardation, neurological disorder, or current substance dependence
- Family history of Bipolar I disorder in a first degree relative
- Presence of cardiac pacemaker, aneurysm clip, cochlear implants, neurostimulators, or history of metal fragments in eyes
- Pregnancy
- Weight of 250 lbs or more
- Claustrophobia
- Presence of shrapnel or other disallowed metal implants or conditions preventing participation
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
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2
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Your Study Journey
Screening
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Behavioral Assessment
Duration - 1 day
Participants complete a controlled stress induction using the Trier Social Stress Test, including a public speaking simulation and mental arithmetic, followed by decision-making tasks to assess impulsivity.
1 study visit lasting approximately 2 hours
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27514
Actively Recruiting
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Research Team
M
Michael N Hallquist, PhD
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
1
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