Neurofeedback to Treat Depression
Completed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: MDD
In brief
This study tests the efficacy of a new psychotherapeutic strategy for reducing negative attention bias (and therefore depression severity) in participants with MDD (60 in R61 phase and 80 in R33 Phase). This real-time fMRI neurofeedback therapy uses cloud-based pattern classification to decode a patient's attentional state and dynamically modulate task stimuli (in a closed loop) based on this state.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT05169346
- Run by
- University of Pennsylvania
- People needed
- 71
- Starts
- 2022-05-25
- Expected to finish
- 2025-06-13
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-09-08
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- gender, inclusive
- adult aged 18 - 65 meets Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for MDD according to the Clinician-Administered MDD Scale for DSM-5 (unipolar depression or bipolar II depressed)
- scores at least a minimum score of 16 on Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
- normal cognition
- participants must be able to read and understand English
- participants must be able to provide consent
You may not qualify if…
- pregnancy (female participants)
- outside age range
- MRI contraindications (medical implant, claustrophobia, etc.)
- use of psychoactive medication (including antidepressants) or currently in therapy
- neurological disorder or any condition that in the view of the PI could impact brain data, cause depression, require medication that could cause depressive symptoms, or otherwise result in participant being unfit for study (for example, co-morbid psychotic, neurological disorders, developmentally or cognitively disabled/impaired, active alcohol or drug abuse/dependence within the past 6 months).
- non-English speaking
- non-correctable vision loss
- refusal to provide informed consent
- representing an active suicide risk
Where it is running
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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