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Multimodal Differences in Effort-based Decision-Making in Depression

Multimodal Differences in Effort-based Decision-Making in Depression - - Brain Behavior Quantification and Synchronization

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Procedures mentioned: Interviews, MRI scans

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "Current evaluation approaches to characterizing reduced motivation rely on clinical assessments of patient symptoms through interviews and observation."
  • "In addition, studies investigating brain mechanisms often use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which requires patients to be stationary."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests HORMES, a tool that measures motivation during everyday activities. It looks at brain activity, automatic body functions, and energy use during choices that involve physical effort. It is for adults ages 18–65 with major depression and a comparison group.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious condition that causes long-term symptoms such as feeling sad, losing interest in activities, and having thoughts of self-harm. Difficulty in making an effort is a key factor in functional impairment. Current methods to evaluate this difficulty use clinical assessments and computer-based tasks, but there is a gap between the measurements and real-life behavior. To address this, the study team proposes creating an instrumented behavioral test, HORMES, to objectively assess reduced motivation during everyday activities and measure physiological responses. The study will examine differences in brain activity, autonomic system function, and metabolic energy expenditure in patients with major depression during a decision-making task that involves physical effort.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be 18–65 years old.
  • Be physically able to do the study tasks.
  • Be fluent in English.
  • Be able to agree to join the study, both in writing and by speaking.
  • Be able to understand the study steps, possible risks, and benefits.
  • For the depression group: have a diagnosis of major depression.
  • For the depression group: score above 5 on the QIDS, a survey of depression symptoms.

Who can't join

  • For the comparison group: currently have a diagnosed mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.
  • For the depression group: have diagnosed psychotic symptoms, such as seeing or hearing things that are not there.
  • For the depression group: have another diagnosed brain, nerve, or mental health disorder.
  • Be pregnant.
  • Have a body mass index (BMI) above 35. BMI is a measure based on height and weight.
  • Currently take antipsychotic medicines, which are used to treat some mental health conditions.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Matched control group * 18-65 years old * Able-bodied * Fluent in English * Able to give written and verbal informed consent to the proposed experiment * Able to comprehend the study procedure, potential risks, and benefits * Group with depression * Diagnosed with major depression * Quick Inventory of Depression Symptomology (QIDS) score \> 5 * 18-65 years old * Able-bodied * Fluent in English * Able to give written and verbal informed consent to the proposed experiment * Able to comprehend the study procedure, potential risks, and benefits Exclusion Criteria: * Matched control group * Current diagnosed psychiatric disorder (e.g., anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder) * Current pregnancy * BMI \> 35 * Currently on antipsychotics * Group with depression * Diagnosed with psychotic symptoms * Diagnosed with other neurological or psychiatric disorders * Current pregnancy * BMI \> 35 * Currently on antipsychotics

Study sites (1)

GA