Amygdala Neurofeedback for Depression - Large Scale Clinical Trial

Major Depressive Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title:

Confirmatory Efficacy Randomized Clinical Trial of Amygdala Neurofeedback for Major Depressive Disorder

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05703256
• Other study ID #: STUDY23010004
• Secondary ID: MH130337
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 1, 2023
• Est. completion date: April 30, 2028

Study information

• Verified date: May 2024
• Source: University of Pittsburgh
• Contact: Kymberly Young, PhD
• Phone: 412-648-6179
• Email: youngk[@]pitt.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate whether rtfMRI-nf training to increase the amygdala response to positive memories may serve as a stand-alone intervention for major depressive disorder

Description:

Previous research has shown that real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) training aimed at increasing the amygdala's response to positive autobiographical memory recall holds therapeutic potential for treating patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), as clinically significant decreases in clinician administered and self-report measures of depression severity were observed following two rtfMRI amygdala neurofeedback sessions. Furthermore, rtfMRI amygdala neurofeedback changed emotional processing towards a positive bias. The goal of the current study is to confirm the clinical efficacy of this intervention in a new sample of depressed participants. Thus, over the course of four years, we will conduct a randomized double-blind clinical trial examining the clinical and cognitive effects of amygdala rtfMRI-nf compared to yoked sham rtfMRI-nf (seeing the amygdala activity of another participant during training) in 200 participants with MDD from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Participants will undergo two rtfMRI-nf sessions. Half of the participants will receive amygdala neurofeedback and half will receive yoked sham neurofeedback. Participants will complete the BDI-II monthly for one year following completion of the neurofeedback intervention. The rationale for the proposed research is to provide new insights into possible mechanistic solutions for MDD, and to further guide development of this rtfMRI-nf intervention into a treatment for MDD.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 200
• Est. completion date: April 30, 2028
• Est. primary completion date: April 30, 2027
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 55 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• ages 18 - 55

• primary diagnosis of MDD and are currently depressed

• able to give written informed consent prior to participation

• unmedicated OR are stable on an antidepressant regime (at least 4 weeks to ensure symptoms are stable). Effective medications will not be discontinued for the purposes of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• clinically significant or unstable cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine, neurological, gastrointestinal illness or unstable medical disorder

• Current severe DSM-V alcohol or substance use disorder, with the exception of nicotine or caffeine. Clinician will access subjects' alcohol and substance use on a case-by-case to determine whether specific cases of mild or moderate alcohol or substance use would also interfere with the effects of the intervention.

• history of traumatic brain injury

• unable to complete MRI scan due to claustrophobia or general MRI exclusions (e.g., shrapnel inside body)

• currently pregnant or breast feeding

• unable to complete questionnaires written in English

• current (within 3 weeks of testing) use of any antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, stimulants, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, or other medications (except antidepressants) likely to influence cerebral blood flow. Effective medications will not be discontinued for the purposes of the study.

• diagnosis of psychotic or organic mental disorder, bipolar I or II disorder.

• eye problems or difficulties in corrected vision.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major
• Major Depressive Disorder

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Amygdala real-time fMRI neurofeedback
Participants are shown activity from their left amygdala in real time and are instructed to increase the level of activity in that region by thinking of positive autobiographical memories
• Sham feedback
Participants are shown activity from another participant's left amygdala who previously completed the task and are instructed to increase the level of activity in that region by thinking of positive autobiographical memories

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Pittsburgh	National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (3)

Young KD, Misaki M, Harmer CJ, Victor T, Zotev V, Phillips R, Siegle GJ, Drevets WC, Bodurka J. Real-Time Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Amygdala Neurofeedback Changes Positive Information Processing in Major Depressive Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2017 Oct 15;82(8):578-586. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.03.013. Epub 2017 Mar 28. — View Citation

Young KD, Siegle GJ, Zotev V, Phillips R, Misaki M, Yuan H, Drevets WC, Bodurka J. Randomized Clinical Trial of Real-Time fMRI Amygdala Neurofeedback for Major Depressive Disorder: Effects on Symptoms and Autobiographical Memory Recall. Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Aug 1;174(8):748-755. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16060637. Epub 2017 Apr 14. — View Citation

Young KD, Zotev V, Phillips R, Misaki M, Yuan H, Drevets WC, Bodurka J. Real-time FMRI neurofeedback training of amygdala activity in patients with major depressive disorder. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 11;9(2):e88785. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088785. eCollection 2014. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Autobiographical Memory Test	measures memory specificity. Participants are asked to recall a memory in response to 18 cue words. The number of specific memories is determined and reported. Scores can range from 0-18 and higher scores represent better memory performance.	baseline vs one month
Primary	Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)	measures depressive symptoms. The total score will be used, which ranges from 0-63. A total score of 0-13 is considered minimal range, 14-19 is mild, 20-28 is moderate, and 29-63 is severe. Lower values represent better outcomes.	baseline vs up to one year
Secondary	Life Functioning Questionnaire (LFQ)	measures ability to function in daily life. The total score will be used, which ranges from 14-56. A total score of 14-27 indicates no problems, and a score of 28+ indicates some impairment. Lower values represent better outcomes.	baseline vs up to one year