Emotional Cognition: Establishing Constructs and Neural-Behavioral Mechanisms in Older Adults With Depression

Running, not enrolling

Conditions studied: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Healthy Adult Volunteer

In brief

This is a cross-sectional pilot study designed to establish hot and cold cognitive functions and underlying neurocircuitry in older adults with MDD. The investigators will study 120 participants aged 21-80 years old with MDD. All participants will undergo clinical and neurocognitive assessment, and Magnetoencephalography (MEG)/Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures at one time point. The investigators will also enroll 120 demographically matched comparable, never-depressed healthy participants (controls) to establish cognitive benchmarks. Healthy controls will complete clinical and neurocognitive measures at one time point. To attain a balanced sample of adults across the lifespan, the investigators will enroll participants such that each age epoch (e.g., 21-30, 31-40, etc.) has a total of ten subjects (n=10) in both the healthy control cohort and depressed cohort.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05966532

Run by

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

People needed

276

Starts

2023-12-11

Expected to finish

2027-08-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-30

Who can join

Age: 21 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Male and female participants
• Age between 21-80 years old
• DSM-5 diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) based on Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview
• Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated version (IDS-C) total score > 14
• Able to read, write, and comprehend English
• Provide informed consent; willing to comply with study protocol

You may not qualify if…

• History of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder
• Presence of psychotic features
• Lifetime central nervous system (CNS) disease (including head injury with loss of consciousness > 5 minutes)
• History of neurodevelopmental disorder (e.g., Autism spectrum disorder)
• History of medical conditions that can affect neurocognitive function as well as be confounded with age (e.g., thyroid disease, endocrine illnesses)
• Women who are pregnant
• Current use of medications with known impacts on neurocognitive function (e.g., acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, amphetamine, methylphenidate, vortioxetine, sedatives)
• Alcohol/substance use disorder within past 3 months
• DSM-5 diagnosis of major cognitive impairment
• Current sensory or physical impairment that interferes with testing.
• Contraindication to MRI and MEG (only for depressed participants) (e.g., any electronic / metallic implants near or within the head or body, claustrophobia)

Where it is running

• University of Texas Arlington — Arlington, Texas, United States
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, Texas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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