Promoting self-compassion meditation with intranasal oxytocin in borderline personality disorder: a pilot study

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by emotion dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and high levels of self-criticism, which may hinder engagement with compassion-based therapeutic practices. Oxytocin has been proposed as a modulator of social-affective processes and may facilitate specific mechanisms involved in psychotherapy.

In this pilot study, 18 individuals with BPD received intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) or placebo prior to a guided compassion-based meditation practice over five weekly sessions. Compassion practice quality was assessed at baseline (T1) and endpoint (T5). Endpoint differences were examined using ANCOVA models controlling for baseline values.

Compared with placebo, oxytocin was associated with higher endpoint scores on the imagination dimension of compassion practice quality. No significant differences were observed for the total score or the somatic dimension, and no adverse effects related to oxytocin administration were reported.

Oxytocin may facilitate specific aspects of the subjective experience during compassion-based practices in individuals with BPD, particularly those related to imagery processes. Further controlled studies with larger samples are needed to clarify the mechanisms of action and to determine whether these effects translate into clinically meaningful outcomes when oxytocin is used as an adjunct to psychotherapy.