Modulatory Effects of Personalized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) on Heart-Brain Coupling in Individuals With Depressive Tendencies

Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Depression Disorder, fMRI Research, Heart-Brain Coupling

In brief

This study focuses on individuals with depressive tendencies and investigates the regulatory effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)-guided by personalized functional connectivity mapping-on heart-brain coupling in this population, while also exploring the underlying mechanisms.Participants will undergo 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, followed by four different types of neurostimulation: stimulation targeting individualized Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) -Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex (sgACC) functional connectivity, stimulation targeting individualized DLPFC-insula functional connectivity, standard F3 targeting, and sham stimulation. The order of these stimulation sessions will be randomized. Researchers will simultaneously record the participants' electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) signals before and after stimulation, and will record ECG in real-time during the stimulation. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effects of DLPFC targeting specificity on metrics such as heart-brain coupling in individuals with depressive tendencies, thereby providing a basis for future research on objective assessment and personalized interventions for depression.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT07753473
Run by: Xidian University
People needed: 60
Starts: 2026-08-01
Expected to finish: 2026-12-30
Last updated by the study team: 2026-08-07

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 30. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

一、Inclusion criteria for the depressed group:
Aged 18-30 years;
Recent feelings of low mood and presence of depressive symptoms;
Physically healthy, with no history of neurological disorders;
No participation in other neuromodulation experiments within the past month;
Normal hearing and normal (or corrected-to-normal) vision;
PHQ-9 score > 5 and BDI-II score > 13;
Avoidance of staying up late, alcohol consumption, and excessive caffeine intake prior to the experiment;
Able and willing to cooperate with the completion of scale assessments. 二、Inclusion criteria for healthy participants:
(1) Aged 18-30 years; (2) No significant symptoms of depression and no history of neuropsychiatric disorders; (3) Physically healthy with no history of neurological disorders; (4) No participation in other neuromodulation experiments within the past month; (5) Normal hearing and normal (or corrected-to-normal) vision; (6) PHQ-9 score < 5 and BDI-II score < 13; (7) Avoidance of staying up late, alcohol consumption, and excessive caffeine intake prior to the experiment; (8) Able and willing to cooperate with the completion of scale assessments.

You may not qualify if…

History of head trauma (including neurosurgery), stroke, elevated intracranial pressure, or other brain-related disorders;
History of epileptic seizures or family history of epilepsy;
Receipt of TMS or other neuromodulation stimulation within the past month;
Presence of intracranial or internal metallic foreign bodies, electrodes made of silver or gold, or metal prostheses;
Presence of devices potentially affected by TMS, such as pacemakers, drug pumps, cochlear implants, or implanted brain stimulators;
Severe or recent cardiac, pulmonary, or hematopoietic system disorders, or other neurological diseases;
Clinically diagnosed moderate-to-severe depressive disorder;
Substance abuse, alcohol dependence, etc.;
Current active suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior; Refusal to sign the informed consent form.

Where it is running

Xidian University — Xi'an, Shaanxi, China (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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