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.

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is considered a disorder of emotion regulation resulting from the expression of a biologically determined emotional vulnerability (that is, heightened sensitivity to emotion, increased emotional intensity/reactivity, and a slow return to emotional baseline) combined with exposure to invalidating environments. Vagal tone has been associated with activity in cortical regions involved in emotion regulation and a lower resting state of vagal tone has been observed in BPD patients relative to healthy controls. Non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been shown to reduce temper outbursts in adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome, to enhance recognition of emotions in healthy students, and to improve depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Life experienced as worth living and beyond: a qualitative study of the pathways to recovery and flourishing amongst individuals treated for borderline personality disorder.

Background: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is recognized as a leading evidence-based treatment, effective in reducing symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD), as well as co-occurring clinical syndromes. However, symptom remission may not be the same as a life experienced as worth living. The purpose of the study was to understand, from the perspective of individuals with lived experience, the concepts of recovery, life experienced as worth living and flourishing after treatment for BPD, and to describe the pathways to wellness after symptom remission.

The five self-harm behavior groupings measure: empirical and thematic data from a novel comprehensive self-harm assessment.

Introduction: The Five Self-Harm Behavior Groupings Measure (5S-HM) is a novel assessment that evaluates behaviours which may go undetected by existing measures. Self-harm is formulated across directness and lethality spectra, including under-studied behaviors such as indirect self-harm, harmful self-neglect and sexual self-harm. Aims of the study were to: (1) empirically evaluate the 5S-HM; (2) to determine whether the 5S-HM generates relevant new information with respect to the forms and functions given by participants for self-harm within a clinical sample; (3) to test the utility and novel contributions of the Unified Model of Self-Harm and the 5S-HM by extension.

A Novel Microparticle Based Formulation for Topical Delivery of FOL-005, a Small Peptide.

Although many therapeutically active peptides and proteins have been developed there is a lack of topical pharmaceutical products on the market containing these sensitive molecules. The main reasons may be lack of stability and a limitation of larger molecules to penetrate into the skin. In this study we investigated the possibility to develop a peptide formulation which enables follicular permeation of peptides and passes the following criteria: 1) The formulation should be chemically and physically stable, 2) The formulation should have appealing cosmetical properties and 3) The formulation should be compatible with skin as well as sebum.