Neurofeedback for Treatment Resistant Depression
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- STATUS
- Recruiting
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- End date
- Mar 31, 2023
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- participants needed
- 100
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- sponsor
- University of Pittsburgh
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical efficacy of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) training to increase the amygdala's response to positive autobiographical memories in patients with depression who are considered treatment-resistant
Description
Up to two-thirds of patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) will not respond to standard pharmacological and psychological interventions and will be considered treatment resistant (TR-MDD). Decreased reactivity to positive stimuli, indexed by low amygdala reactivity to positive autobiographical memory recall, may be a causal mechanism interfering with recovery from TR-MDD. Previous work in our lab suggests that individuals who do respond to antidepressant medications show increased amygdala activity that is indistinguishable from controls relative to baseline, while TR-MDD individuals fail to show this increase in amygdala activity. Furthermore, the investigators have found that MDD participants (more generally, not specifically TR- MDD) are indeed able to increase their amygdala response during positive memory recall via real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) training, and that this increase is associated with large and rapid reductions in depressive symptoms. Here, the investigators propose to evaluate whether rtfMRI-nf training to increase the amygdala response to positive memories may serve as an intervention for TR-MDD. 100 TR-MDD individuals will be randomly assigned under double-blind conditions to receive 5 amygdala rtfMRI-nf or 5 control rtfMRI-nf sessions where they are trained to regulate a parietal region putatively not involved in emotional processing or MDD. The investigators will assess changes in amygdala activity, severity of clinical symptoms, and autobiographical memory deficits. Success will suggest a new non- pharmacological, non-invasive intervention for a traditionally treatment-resistant population of MDD individuals.
Details
| Condition | Treatment Resistant Depression |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Amygdala Neurofeedback, Parietal Neurofeedback |
| Clinical Study Identifier | NCT03428828 |
| Sponsor | University of Pittsburgh |
| Last Modified on | 24 March 2022 |
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