New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder affects about 1-2% of people and involves intense emotions, unstable relationships, and a fragile sense of self. Dialectical behavior therapy has been the main evidence-based treatment for decades, often combined with mood stabilizers or antidepressants for specific symptoms. No medication is FDA-approved specifically for BPD.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing whether ketamine, MDMA-assisted therapy, oxytocin, and naltrexone can address core BPD symptoms like emotional instability and self-harm. Researchers are also studying brain network differences that might predict who responds to which treatment, and whether intensive short-term psychotherapy works as well as longer courses.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on BPD diagnosis confirmed by structured interview, current symptom severity, recent self-harm or suicidal behavior, and whether you're already in therapy.

What types of trials are currently open

• Medication trials — Testing drugs like ketamine, naltrexone, and oxytocin to see if they reduce self-harm, emotional instability, or suicidal thoughts.
• Psychotherapy trials — Comparing different forms of therapy—DBT, mentalization-based therapy, schema therapy—and testing whether shorter courses work as well as year-long treatment.
• Combination trials — Testing medication combined with therapy, such as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy or ketamine alongside DBT.
• Brain imaging studies — Using MRI to understand brain network differences in BPD and predict who will respond to specific treatments.
• Digital interventions — Testing apps and online programs that teach emotion regulation skills or provide support between therapy sessions.