Long-term Potentiation Disruption Underlying Cognitive Impairment in ECT

Withdrawn before enrolling · Early Phase 1

Conditions studied: Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder II

In brief

Cognitive problems, like memory loss, are common after brain injuries like trauma or stroke. These problems make daily life harder, and the investigators don't yet know the best ways to help the brain recover. Scientists think that a process in the brain called long-term potentiation (LTP) is important for memory and learning. When LTP isn't working properly, it may cause problems with thinking and memory. But studying LTP in people is hard because it happens deep inside the brain. Our research uses a treatment called electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to better understand LTP. ECT is a treatment for severe depression that works by causing a controlled seizure in the brain. While ECT often helps depression, it can temporarily cause memory and thinking problems, which usually improve over time. This makes ECT a good way to study how thinking and memory recover. The investigators will use a tool called electroencephalography (EEG) to measure brain activity during different stages of ECT treatment. EEG is a safe and non-invasive way to track changes in LTP. Specifically, the investigators will measure how the brain responds to visual signals using something called visual evoked potentials (VEPs). These signals can show how LTP is affected by ECT. The study's main goal is to track changes in LTP using VEPs during and after ECT. By studying these changes, the investigators hope to learn how ECT affects the brain and how it recovers. This could help improve treatments for brain injuries and other conditions that cause memory and thinking problems.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06733558

Run by

University of New Mexico

People needed

0

Starts

2025-01-21

Expected to finish

2026-07-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-01-21

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD; with or without psychotic features) or bipolar 2 most recent episode depressed;
• clinical indications for ECT with right unilateral electrode placement including treatment resistance or a need for a rapid and definitive response,
• age range adults 18-85 years, and
• English-speaking (many of the neuropsychological tests are only available in English). Antidepressant medications will be continued as clinically indicated. To maintain feasibility and retention, as needed medications will be permitted for anxiety and insomnia.

You may not qualify if…

• Defined neurological or neurodegenerative disorder (e.g., traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease);
• other psychiatric conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder);
• current drug or alcohol use disorder (except for nicotine);
• prisoners; and
• pregnancy (pre- menopausal participants will receive pregnancy test, which is clinically indicated for ECT and not part of study protocol).

Where it is running

• Domenici Hall — Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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