Investigating the Efficacy and Mechanisms of Individualized tACS Targeting Anhedonia in Late-Life Depression
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS), shame tACS.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Late-Life Depression, Anhedonia. Basic parameters: from 60 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- China
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Efficacy and Mechanisms of Personalized tACS Targeting Anhedonia in Late-Life Depression
Overview
This project focuses on clinical translational research into personalized transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) for treating anhedonia in late-life depression (LLD). Key components include: (1) Optimizing individualized tACS treatment parameters through randomized, double-blind, controlled trials and establishing precise treatment protocols using deep learning algorithms; (2) Assessing the short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (3 months) efficacy of tACS on depressive symptoms and anhedonia using scales such as the HAMD, SHAPS, and DARS, while monitoring safety; (3) Integrating multimodal detection technologies (64-channel EEG, inflammatory factors/neurotransmitters, etc.) to elucidate the mechanisms by which tACS alleviates anhedonia through modulating prefrontal neural oscillations (y-band), improving synaptic plasticity (increased BDNF), and regulating neurotransmitters (5-HT, DA). This study will establish, for the first time, an individualized parameter system for tACS treatment of LLD, providing a novel non-pharmacological intervention strategy for clinical practice.
Detailed description
This project aims to explore effective treatment strategies and mechanisms of action for personalized transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) targeting anhedonia in late-life depression (LLD). Late-life depression has a high prevalence, with 70% of patients exhibiting symptoms of anhedonia, which is
. Current pharmacological treatments face challenges such as poor response rates and significant side effects, creating an urgent need for novel intervention strategies. As a non-invasive neurostimulation technique, tACS can improve depressive symptoms by modulating brain oscillatory activity; however, personalized treatment protocols and mechanisms specifically targeting anhedonia in LLD remain unclear. By optimizing tACS parameters, validating clinical efficacy, and elucidating the underlying neural mechanisms, this project will fill a research gap in this field. The findings will not only provide safe and effective non-pharmacological treatment options for patients with geriatric depression, thereby reducing suicide risk, but will also advance the application of tACS technology in precision medicine for mental disorders, holding significant clinical value and social implications.
Interventions
- Device Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)
divided into a real-stimulus group and a sham-stimulus group - Device shame tACS
The sham tACS group received 40 Hz tACS with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 1 mA, a frequency of y, and a sinusoidal waveform. The stimulation sites were located in the prefrontal cortex (F3 and F4) based on the 10-20 system of international EEG electrode placement, with CZ serving as the return electrode, which did not generate stimulation pulses.
Primary outcome measures
- Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) [Time frame: 12 week]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- Hamilton Depression Scale，HAMD -17 [Time frame: 12 week]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- (1) Patients were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) - Clinical Version (SCID-5-CV) to confirm that they met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for "major depressive disorder"; (2) Age ≥ 60 years; gender not restricted; (3) Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)-17 score > 24
Exclusion criteria
\- (1) History of severe head trauma or serious neurological conditions such as epilepsy; (2) Any brain devices or implants, including cochlear implants and aneurysm clips; treatments such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
(3) Individuals who have undergone other physical modulation therapies within the past 8 weeks, including but not limited to non-convulsive electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and transcranial direct current stimulation.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
China · 1 center
- Tianjin Anding Hospital — Tianjin
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07637773 · tACS-MDD