Repeated Real-time Biofeedback With 7-Tesla MRI for Treatment of 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: Active Biofeedback, Sham Biofeedback.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 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
- United Kingdom
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Overview
Previous work demonstrated that individuals are able to self-regulate their ventral tegmental area (VTA) activity using real-time biofeedback. The current study expands this approach to a larger sample with repeated training sessions to more robustly characterize the effects of VTA modulation. The study will assess change in mood and motivation-related measures, as well as neural activity and connectivity changes.
Detailed description
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the world's largest health problems with current treatments that are ineffective for a substantial proportion of individuals. There is a critical need for mechanistically informed interventions that are individualized and that aim to target core symptoms.
Converging evidence from animal and human research in the field has implicated the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a key component of the brain's dopamine system, in regulating motivation and reward-related behaviour. Previous work has demonstrated that participants can successfully train to self-regulate their VTA activity using cognitive strategies while receiving real-time feedback. This shows that VTA self-regulation is feasible in humans.
The current study builds on this previous work to further investigate the relationships between VTA activity modulation and mood and motivation related changes in individuals with MDD. Specifically, this study will aim to extend on prior findings by increasing the sample size and incorporating repeated training sessions to enhance and characterize training effects over time. A total of 60 participants with MDD will be recruited and will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either active biofeedback or sham (control) feedback.
Participants will complete two training sessions with real-time 7T-MRI biofeedback. During functional MRI (fMRI) scanning, participants will be trained to use self-generated cognitive strategies to modulate their VTA activity while viewing a visual representation of their brain signal (active condition) or a yoked control signal (sham condition).
The primary objective of this study is to determine how VTA modulation influences mood and motivation related measures over time. Secondary objectives include assessing changes in VTA activation and functional connectivity over time, as well as examining how neural changes relate to mood and motivation-related changes.
Interventions
- Behavioral Active Biofeedback
The active biofeedback session will be done within the 7T MRI. It will include MOTIVATE and active rest trials. During each MOTIVATE trial, subjects will be instructed to generate a heightened state of motivation. Subjects will simultaneously view a progress bar on the screen during MOTIVATE trials that represents their VTA activity and they will be trained to try to increase the level of the bar by motivating themselves. - Behavioral Sham Biofeedback
The sham biofeedback session resembles the active condition, however, the progress bar seen during the MOTIVATE trials will represent yoked sham values.
Primary outcome measures
- Mood and Motivation Related Measures [Time frame: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.]
- VTA Connectivity [Time frame: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 4-week timeframe.]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- VTA Activation [Time frame: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 4-week timeframe.]
- Association between change in VTA measures and change in the mood and motivation factor [Time frame: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Male or female aged 18-65 years;
- Meets DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Axis Disorders (SCID) or the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI); with a current major depressive episode.
- Participants must have a level of understanding of the English language sufficient to agree to all tests and examinations required by the study and must be able to participate fully in the informed consent process.
Exclusion criteria
- Current or history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, neurocognitive disorder or cognitive impairment
- Active substance use disorder within the past 1 year;
- Any unstable medical illnesses;
- Women who are pregnant;
- Any contraindications to MRI
- Antidepressant medication initiated within 2 weeks of the Baseline Assessment and concomitant use of any other medication with central nervous system activity during active participation;
- Active suicidal intent or plan.
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
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
United Kingdom · 1 center
- Oxford Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (OxCIN) FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical — Oxford
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07694076 · MS IDREC 879781 · 226532/Z/22/Z