Ignite Creation Date:
2025-12-24 @ 2:16 PM
Ignite Modification Date:
2025-12-28 @ 3:59 AM
Study NCT ID:
NCT05617495
Status:
RECRUITING
Last Update Posted:
2025-04-24
First Post:
2022-11-01
Is Gene Therapy:
True
Has Adverse Events:
False
Brief Title:
Mindfulness-Based fMRI Neurofeedback for Depression
Sponsor:
Columbia University
Organization:
Study Overview
Official Title:
Targeting Adolescent Depression Symptoms Using Network-based Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback and Mindfulness Meditation (NIMH); Mindfulness-Based Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback for Depression (IRB)
Status:
RECRUITING
Status Verified Date:
2025-04
Last Known Status:
None
Delayed Posting:
No
If Stopped, Why?:
Not Stopped
Has Expanded Access:
False
If Expanded Access, NCT#:
N/A
Has Expanded Access, NCT# Status:
N/A
Acronym:
mbNF
Brief Summary:
In the United States, adolescents experience alarmingly high rates of major depression, and gold-standard treatments are only effective for approximately half of patients. Rumination may be a promising treatment target, as it is well-characterized at the neural level and contributes to depression onset, maintenance, and recurrence as well as predicts treatment non-response. Accordingly, the proposed research will investigate whether an innovative mindfulness-based real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback intervention successfully elicits change in the brain circuit underlying rumination to improve clinical outcomes among depressed adolescents.
Detailed Description:
Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is common and debilitating. Presently, gold-standard treatments are only effective for approximately half of patients, underscoring the need to develop novel interventions, particularly to target core underlying mechanisms and more effectively treat this recurrent disorder.
Rumination, the tendency to perseverate about depressive symptoms, contributes to MDD onset and predicts treatment non-response and relapse. At the neural level, rumination is characterized by elevated functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN), and similarly, prior research has consistently demonstrated patterns of DMN hyper-connectivity in MDD. Interestingly, mindfulness meditation, which trains attentional focus to the present moment, reduces perseverative thinking, ruminative tendencies, and depression symptoms. Further, our research and others have shown that adolescents can apply mindfulness practices to decrease perceived stress, increase sustained attention, and suppress DMN activity. Although mindfulness has profound mental health benefits, for some, mindfulness alone may not be sufficient to mitigate ruminative tendencies during a depressive episode. That is, MDD symptoms, including reduced motivation, inattention, and lack of self-efficacy, may impede a patient's progress in successfully acquiring and utilizing mindfulness strategies necessary to change perceptions about one's environment and relationships. To directly address this challenge, this project will use real-time fMRI neurofeedback to enhance the acquisition and utilization of mindfulness skills to better target DMN hyper-connectivity, rumination, and depressive symptoms.
Specifically, a novel, mindfulness-based, real-time neurofeedback (mbNF) paradigm will be used whereby people observe a visual display of their brain activity and practice mindfulness to volitionally reduce DMN activation. Adolescents (N=90; ages 13-18 years) diagnosed with MDD will complete a \~45-minute mindfulness training outside the MRI scanner. To test target engagement of reducing DMN hyper-connectivity and dosing effects, adolescents will all receive mbNF and changes in brain connectivity will be examined (primary outcome). To examine dosing effects, adolescents will be randomized to receive either a 15- or a 30-minute mbNF session (n=45/dose group). Clinician-administered instruments, self-reports, and smartphone ecological momentary assessment will be used test whether mbNF contributes to a greater reduction in clinician assessed depression symptoms as well as decreased rumination post-treatment (secondary outcomes). As a whole, mbNF is directly in line with precision medicine initiatives, and if successful, could revolutionize clinical care for depressed adolescents.
Rumination, the tendency to perseverate about depressive symptoms, contributes to MDD onset and predicts treatment non-response and relapse. At the neural level, rumination is characterized by elevated functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN), and similarly, prior research has consistently demonstrated patterns of DMN hyper-connectivity in MDD. Interestingly, mindfulness meditation, which trains attentional focus to the present moment, reduces perseverative thinking, ruminative tendencies, and depression symptoms. Further, our research and others have shown that adolescents can apply mindfulness practices to decrease perceived stress, increase sustained attention, and suppress DMN activity. Although mindfulness has profound mental health benefits, for some, mindfulness alone may not be sufficient to mitigate ruminative tendencies during a depressive episode. That is, MDD symptoms, including reduced motivation, inattention, and lack of self-efficacy, may impede a patient's progress in successfully acquiring and utilizing mindfulness strategies necessary to change perceptions about one's environment and relationships. To directly address this challenge, this project will use real-time fMRI neurofeedback to enhance the acquisition and utilization of mindfulness skills to better target DMN hyper-connectivity, rumination, and depressive symptoms.
Specifically, a novel, mindfulness-based, real-time neurofeedback (mbNF) paradigm will be used whereby people observe a visual display of their brain activity and practice mindfulness to volitionally reduce DMN activation. Adolescents (N=90; ages 13-18 years) diagnosed with MDD will complete a \~45-minute mindfulness training outside the MRI scanner. To test target engagement of reducing DMN hyper-connectivity and dosing effects, adolescents will all receive mbNF and changes in brain connectivity will be examined (primary outcome). To examine dosing effects, adolescents will be randomized to receive either a 15- or a 30-minute mbNF session (n=45/dose group). Clinician-administered instruments, self-reports, and smartphone ecological momentary assessment will be used test whether mbNF contributes to a greater reduction in clinician assessed depression symptoms as well as decreased rumination post-treatment (secondary outcomes). As a whole, mbNF is directly in line with precision medicine initiatives, and if successful, could revolutionize clinical care for depressed adolescents.
Study Oversight
Has Oversight DMC:
True
Is a FDA Regulated Drug?:
False
Is a FDA Regulated Device?:
False
Is an Unapproved Device?:
None
Is a PPSD?:
None
Is a US Export?:
False
Is an FDA AA801 Violation?:
Secondary ID Infos
| Secondary ID | Type | Domain | Link | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R61MH132072-01 | NIH | None | https://reporter.nih.gov/quic… | View |