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Causal Role of Rostromedial Prefrontal Cortex for Positive Savoring in Depression

NCT07467473 · Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 48

Last updated 2026-05-20

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This is a non-invasive brain stimulation and neuroimaging study that will examine how activity in the medial prefrontal cortex influences reward processing, particularly positive savoring, in individuals with depression. The central question is whether modulating medial prefrontal brain regions using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) alters neural and behavioral responses to rewards. Brain activity will be recorded using both electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participants perform reward tasks. The primary objectives are to (1) identify patterns of brain activity linked to impaired reward processing in depression using EEG and fMRI, and (2) determine the causal role of specific prefrontal areas in these processes through targeted TMS. The methods include four sessions over four weeks: a clinical assessment, EEG recording during reward tasks after participants learn/practice positive savoring, an fMRI session, and a TMS session combined with EEG while participants practice positive savoring and perform reward tasks during EEG.

Conditions

  • Left Rostromedial Prefrontal Cortex - Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst
  • Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex - Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst
  • Left Primary Somatosensory Cortex - Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst

Interventions

DEVICE

Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

For accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (aiTBS), stimulation intensity will be set at 80% resting motor threshold (rMT), a level that has been established to be safe and effective. aiTBS will consist of bursts containing 3 pulses at 50 Hz. Bursts will be delivered at 5 Hz for 2 seconds at 80% of rMT, followed by 8 seconds without stimulation. This pattern will continue for 60 cycles (1800 pulses), for a total elapsed time of 10 minutes. Participants will be randomized to receive aiTBS to their mPFC, dlPFC, or primary somatosensory cortex (S1) a total of two times in a single session for 10 minutes each (spaced 50 minutes apart) before/after EEG preparation and practicing a positive affect technique (i.e., savoring), and before performing a positive savoring and reward responsivity task during EEG.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Florida State University

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-03-23
Primary Completion
2028-06-30
Completion
2028-12-31
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07467473 on ClinicalTrials.gov