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Study on iTBS Regulating the Reward Circuit Function to Improve Anhedonia in Depression (iTMMDD)

8. september 2026 opdateret af: Guo Wenbin

Study on the Efficacy of iTBS Targeting NAc and sgACC in Regulating the Reward Circuit Function to Improve Anhedonia in Depression

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the proposed intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) protocol can effectively improve anhedonia symptoms in depressed patients. The stimulation targets in our protocol include (1) dual-target stimulation at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). (2) single-target stimulation at the left DLPFC.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Whether iTBS of dual-target stimulation (left DLPFC and OFC) can improve the symptoms of anhedonia and better than single-target stimulation at the left DLPFC?
  • Whether iTBS of the dual targets of left DLPFC and OFC can improve the symptoms of anhedonia by correcting the abnormal functional connectivity of DLPFC-NAc and OFC-sgACC, regulating the functional abnormalities of NAc and sgACC, and indirectly repairing the overall dysfunction of the reward circuit.
  • Researchers will compare dual-target stimulation to single-target stimulation and sham dual-target stimulation (a dedicated sham coil is utilized which produces an identical audible click and physical sensation) to see if the proposed iTBS protocol works to treat anhedonia.

Participants will:

  • Take 6 sessions of dual-target iTBS or single-target iTBS every day, for 5 consecutive days.
  • Visit our hospital at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8weeks after the iTBS treatment completion, for clinical evaluation and brain image examination.

Studieoversigt

Status

Rekruttering

Betingelser

Intervention / Behandling

Detaljeret beskrivelse

Anhedonia, defined as the diminished capacity to experience pleasure, is a core symptom of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Patients with anhedonia exhibit a pervasive loss of interest or pleasure in all or almost all previously enjoyable activities, which frequently leads to a profound reduction in the desire to engage in rewarding behaviors. Previous studies have reported that anhedonia occurs in 37% to 72% of depressed individuals. Patients with depression accompanied by anhedonia tend to respond poorly to medication and psychotherapy but show relatively better responses to conventional physical treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Research has shown that improving anhedonia significantly enhances social functioning in depressed patients. Therefore, more effective treatments targeting anhedonia are needed. Achieving breakthroughs in therapeutic approaches and understanding their underlying mechanisms will contribute substantially to progress in this field.

Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) utilizes a stimulation pattern that closely mimics the natural firing frequencies of cerebral neurons. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the clinical efficacy of intermittent TBS (iTBS) in alleviating depressive symptoms. Thus, this study aims to investigate and evaluate whether the proposed iTBS protocol can effectively improve anhedonia symptoms in depressed patients by regulating functional abnormalities.

The stimulation targets in our protocol include (1) dual-target stimulation at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). (2) single-target stimulation at the left DLPFC.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  1. Whether iTBS of dual-target stimulation (left DLPFC and OFC) can improve the symptoms of anhedonia and better than single-target stimulation?
  2. Whether iTBS of the dual targets of left DLPFC and OFC can improve the anhedonia symptom by correcting the abnormal functional connectivity of DLPFC-NAc and OFC-sgACC, regulating the functional abnormalities of NAc and sgACC, and indirectly repairing the overall dysfunction of the reward circuit?

Undersøgelsestype

Interventionel

Tilmelding (Anslået)

60

Fase

  • Ikke anvendelig

Kontakter og lokationer

Dette afsnit indeholder kontaktoplysninger for dem, der udfører undersøgelsen, og oplysninger om, hvor denne undersøgelse udføres.

Studiekontakt

Studiesteder

  • Kina
    • Hunan
      • Changsha, Hunan, Kina, 410000
        • Rekruttering
        • The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
        • Kontakt:

Deltagelseskriterier

Forskere leder efter personer, der passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kaldet berettigelseskriterier. Nogle eksempler på disse kriterier er en persons generelle helbredstilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Berettigelseskriterier

Aldre berettiget til at studere

  • Voksen

Tager imod sunde frivillige

Ingen

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Aged 18-45 years, and right-handed;
  2. Diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) by at least two qualified psychiatrists, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), with a Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score ≥ 20 or a 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) score ≥ 17;
  3. Evaluated by a psychiatrist as having prominent anhedonia, and meeting the cutoff criteria on two self-report anhedonia scales, including a Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, Chinese version (SHAPS-C) score ≥ 20, or a Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale, Chinese version (TEPS-C) score ≤ 76;
  4. Medication type and dosage remained unchanged for at least 4 weeks prior to treatment initiation and throughout the study period;
  5. MADRS item 10 score ≤ 4.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. A history of epilepsy, seizures, stroke, or other serious organic brain diseases;
  2. Presence of severe infectious diseases, malignant tumors, or other major unstable medical conditions;
  3. Intellectual disability or developmental delay, presence of psychotic symptoms, or meeting the diagnostic criteria for other psychiatric disorders;
  4. A history of substance abuse or psychoactive substance use;
  5. Presence of intracranial implants (e.g., aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear implants, or electrodes), or any other metallic objects in or near the head that cannot be safely removed (excluding dental fillings);
  6. Contraindications to MRI or structural intracranial abnormalities detected on MRI;
  7. Pregnant or breastfeeding women;
  8. Receipt of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within the past 6 months, or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) within the past 3 months;
  9. Current daily use of lorazepam > 2 mg (or an equivalent dose), or use of antiepileptic drugs at any dose;
  10. Presence of strong suicidal ideation, or a MADRS item 10 score > 4.

Studieplan

Dette afsnit indeholder detaljer om studieplanen, herunder hvordan undersøgelsen er designet, og hvad undersøgelsen måler.

Hvordan er undersøgelsen tilrettelagt?

Design detaljer

  • Primært formål: Behandling
  • Tildeling: Randomiseret
  • Interventionel model: Parallel tildeling
  • Maskning: Ingen (Åben etiket)

Våben og indgreb

Deltagergruppe / Arm
Intervention / Behandling
Eksperimentel: Left DLPFC + OFC iTBS Group

iTBS Parameter Specifications: 60 cycles of 10 bursts of three pulses at 50 Hz were delivered in 2-second trains (5 Hz) with an 8-second intertrain interval. The total duration of a single session is 10 minutes, comprising 60 trains and yielding a total of 1,800 pulses per session.

Treatment Protocol for Left DLPFC+OFC iTBS Group:

Stimulations are first delivered to the left DLPFC-NAc functional region using the specified iTBS parameters (1,800 pulses per session), performed 3 sessions daily with a 50-minute interval between sessions. Subsequently, stimulation was applied to the left OFC-sgACC functional region with the identical parameters (1,800 pulses per session), also performed 3 sessions daily with a 50-minute interval. This yields a cumulative total of 10,800 pulses over 5 consecutive days, for a total of 54,000 pulses.
Enhed: Left DLPFC + OFC iTBS
iTBS Parameter Specifications: 60 cycles of 10 bursts of three pulses at 50 Hz were delivered in 2-second trains (5 Hz) with an 8-second intertrain interval. The total duration of a single session is 10 minutes, comprising 60 trains and yielding a total of 1,800 pulses per session. For the Left DLPFC + OFC iTBS Group, stimulation is first delivered to the left DLPFC-NAc functional region using the specified iTBS parameters (1,800 pulses per session), performed 3 sessions daily with a 50-minute interval between sessions. Subsequently, stimulation is applied to the left OFC-sgACC functional region with the identical parameters (1,800 pulses per session), also performed 3 sessions daily with a 50-minute interval. This yields a cumulative total of 10,800 pulses over 5 consecutive days, for a total of 54,000 pulses.
Andre navne:
  • intermitterende theta-burst stimulation (iTBS)
Eksperimentel: Left DLPFC iTBS Group

iTBS Parameter Specifications: 60 cycles of 10 bursts of three pulses at 50 Hz were delivered in 2-second trains (5 Hz) with an 8-second intertrain interval. The total duration of a single session is 10 minutes, comprising 60 trains and yielding a total of 1,800 pulses per session.

Treatment Protocol for Left DLPFC iTBS Group:

For Group B, stimulations are delivered solely to the left DLPFC-NAc functional region using the specified iTBS parameters, performed 6 sessions daily with a 50-minute interval between sessions. This yields a cumulative total of 10,800 pulses over 5 consecutive days, for a total of 54,000 pulses.
Enhed: Left DLPFC iTBS
iTBS Parameter Specifications: 60 cycles of 10 bursts of three pulses at 50 Hz were delivered in 2-second trains (5 Hz) with an 8-second intertrain interval. The total duration of a single session is 10 minutes, comprising 60 trains and yielding a total of 1,800 pulses per session. For the left DLPFC iTBS Group, stimulation is delivered solely to the left DLPFC-NAc functional region using the specified iTBS parameters, with 6 sessions performed daily, each with a 50-minute interval between sessions. This yields a cumulative total of 10,800 pulses over 5 consecutive days, for a total of 54,000 pulses.
Andre navne:
  • intermitterende theta burst stimulering

Hvad måler undersøgelsen?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Total score of Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
Tidsramme: *Baseline; * Day 2- Day 6 (every treatment day); *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores will be evaluated before and after treatment. Total score: 0-60. A higher score means worse depressive symptoms.
*Baseline; * Day 2- Day 6 (every treatment day); *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Remission Rate of Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores
Tidsramme: * Day 2- Day 6 (every treatment day); *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
The proportion of patients in each group achieving remission. Remission is defined as a MADRS score < 11 points.
* Day 2- Day 6 (every treatment day); *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Response Rate of Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores
Tidsramme: * Day 2- Day 6 (every treatment day); *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
The percentage change in MADRS scores from baseline, calculated as [(MADRSpre - MADRSpost) / MADRSpre] * 100%.
* Day 2- Day 6 (every treatment day); *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Total score of the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale - Chinese Version (TEPS-C)
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Total score: 20-120. The lower score means worse anhedonia.
*Baseline; *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Remission rate of Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale - Chinese Version (TEPS-C) score
Tidsramme: *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Remission means the TEPS-C score > 76. The TEPS-C remission rate is the proportion of patients in each group whose TEPS-C scores increased to >76 after treatment.
*Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.

Andre resultatmål

Resultatmål
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Total score of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17)
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Total score: 0-52. A higher score means worse depressive symptoms.
*Baseline; *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Total scores of the Chinese version of the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS-C) score
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Total score: 14-56. A higher score means worse anhedonia.
*Baseline; *Day 6; *1 week post-treatment; *4 weeks post-treatment; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Brain MRI
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6, up to 1day delay; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Resting-state magnetic resonance imaging scans will be conducted. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) changes before and after treatment will be assessed by fMRI. And its potential correlation with clinical symptom changes will be further explored.
*Baseline; *Day 6, up to 1day delay; *8 weeks post-treatment.
Questionnaire: The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI) scores
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6; * 1 week post-treatment; * 4 weeks post-treatment; * 8 weeks post-treatment.
The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI) scores will be evaluated before and after treatment. Total score: 0-38. Higher scores indicate greater severity of suicidal ideation.
*Baseline; *Day 6; * 1 week post-treatment; * 4 weeks post-treatment; * 8 weeks post-treatment.
Total Score of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Update (RBANS)
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6; * 8 weeks post-treatment.
The RBANS is an instrument used to assess cognitive functioning. The Total Scale Score will be evaluated. The standard score range is typically 40 to 160 (index score based). A higher score indicates better cognitive performance.
*Baseline; *Day 6; * 8 weeks post-treatment.
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) Perseverative Errors scores
Tidsramme: *Baseline; *Day 6; *8 weeks post-treatment.
The WCST is an assessment of executive function and cognitive flexibility. This measure evaluates the number of perseverative errors, which occur when a participant continues to apply a previous sorting rule after the rule has changed. For this 48-card version, the theoretical score ranges from 0 to 48. A higher score indicates worse cognitive flexibility and greater executive dysfunction.
*Baseline; *Day 6; *8 weeks post-treatment.

Samarbejdspartnere og efterforskere

Det er her, du vil finde personer og organisationer, der er involveret i denne undersøgelse.

Sponsor

Guo Wenbin

Efterforskere

  • Ledende efterforsker: Wenbin Guo, PhD, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University

Datoer for undersøgelser

Disse datoer sporer fremskridtene for indsendelser af undersøgelsesrekord og resumeresultater til ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieregistreringer og rapporterede resultater gennemgås af National Library of Medicine (NLM) for at sikre, at de opfylder specifikke kvalitetskontrolstandarder, før de offentliggøres på den offentlige hjemmeside.

Studer store datoer

Studiestart (Faktiske)

19. maj 2026

Primær færdiggørelse (Anslået)

3. juli 2027

Studieafslutning (Anslået)

3. juli 2027

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først indsendt

24. maj 2026

Først indsendt, der opfyldte QC-kriterier

8. september 2026

Først opslået (Faktiske)

10. september 2026

Opdateringer af undersøgelsesjournaler

Sidste opdatering sendt (Faktiske)

10. september 2026

Sidste opdatering indsendt, der opfyldte kvalitetskontrolkriterier

8. september 2026

Sidst verificeret

1. september 2026

Mere information

Begreber relateret til denne undersøgelse

Yderligere relevante MeSH-vilkår

Andre undersøgelses-id-numre

  • LYG20260013
  • ChiCTR2600125718 (Registry Identifier: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry)

Plan for individuelle deltagerdata (IPD)

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IPD-planbeskrivelse

Individual participant data will not be shared to ensure strict confidentiality and protect participant privacy.

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