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Neuromodulation of Motivation and Reward Oscillations (NEMO)

3 november 2026 bijgewerkt door: Rick James Macatee, Florida State University

Delta and Theta-Frequency Transcranial Alternating Stimulation Neuromodulation of Motivation and Reward Oscillations in Disorder of Reward Dysfunction.

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions in the United States, affecting an estimated 20.6 million and 21 million adults respectively. Both disorders are characterized by anhedonia, diminished motivation, and blunted neural reward sensitivity. This shared dysregulated reward-processing may reflect a common prefrontal oscillatory dysfunction, centralized in mesolimbic dopaminergic reward pathways. This proposed project aims to investigate if transcranial alternating current (tACS) can modulate motivational behaviours and neural reward responsivity in participants with MDD and/or CUD during an effortful reward task. The investigators hypothesize that delta transcranial alternating current stimulation will produce a greater neural reward responsivity (RewP), and motivational behaviour during an effortful reward task.

Studie Overzicht

Toestand

Werving

Conditie

Interventie / Behandeling

Gedetailleerde beschrijving

Disrupted reward processing is a transdiagnostic feature that plays a central role in the development, and maintenance of anhedonia in Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Reward positivity (RewP) is an event-related potential (ERP) component derived from electroencephalogram (EEG) data, associated with motivation, reward responsivity and valuation. This neural signature originates in the medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortexes. In MDD, reduced RewP has been associated with decreased willingness to expend effort for reward. Research of CUD and RewP is scarce, but dampened RewP has been demonstrated across different substances use disorders (SUDs) in response to monetary reward tasks. Taken together, these findings signal an emerging research frontier to establish RewP as a clinical biomarker and create a compelling mandate for causal investigation. Low-frequency neural oscillations are the key mechanisms facilitating long-distance prefrontal connectivity and interregional communication. Delta oscillations (2.5Hz) in medial and left lateral prefrontal cortexes are closely linked to RewP and reward prediction error signaling, while theta oscillations (6Hz) index cognitive control and prefrontal regulatory engagement during reward processing. Disruptions in both bands have been well documented in MDD, to a more limited extent, in cannabis-using populations. The proposed experiment will causally test whether sham, delta, and theta frequency tACS can alter motivation and reward responsivity (behaviourally [Effort behaviour] and neurally [RewP, delta power]), in participants with disorder of reward dysfunction, CUD, MDD, and healthy controls. Findings from the proposed study will aid in mechanistic understanding of prefrontal circuits underlying reward impairment in CUD and MDD, and ultimately enable for the development of novel brain stimulation techniques to target disorder-maintaining anhedonia. The investigators hypothesise that delta tACS will modulate reward responsivity in participants with disorders of reward. Such that, during the EEfRT Task delta stimulation will enhance reward responsive goal directed behaviour (Behavioral H1) and delta phase connectivity between left lateral and medial frontal electrodes (Neural H1) at effort decision period. As well as greater reward positivity (RewP; Neural 2), and win vs. loss delta power and phase coherence at feedback (Neural H3).

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Geschat)

54

Fase

  • Niet toepasbaar

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studiecontact

  • Naam: Zoe Howell Doctoral Student PI, M.Res.
  • Telefoonnummer: 850-644-2445
  • E-mail: brains@psy.fsu.edu

Studie Locaties

  • Verenigde Staten
    • Florida
      • Tallahassee, Florida, Verenigde Staten, 32306-4301
        • Nog niet aan het werven
        • The BRAINS Lab at Florida State University
        • Contact:
          • Zoe A Doctoral Student PI, M.Res.
          • Telefoonnummer: 850-644-2445
          • E-mail: brains@psy.fsu.edu
      • Tallahassee, Florida, Verenigde Staten, 32306-4301
        • Werving
        • The Riddle Lab at Florida State University
        • Contact:

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

18 jaar tot 55 jaar (Volwassen)

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Ja

Geslachten die in aanmerking komen voor studie

Allemaal

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria (General):

  • Aged between 18 - 55 years old.
  • Able to provide informed consent
  • Have normal to corrected vision
  • Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study
  • Speak and understand English.
  • Negative THC saliva test and alcohol breathalyzer at all lab visits.
  • Negative UTOX for any substance other than THC.

Exclusion Criteria (General):

  • Mania history (Bipolar I, or current mania).
  • Psychosis history.
  • Current suicide intent (score >4 on C-SRSS, or intent >0 on SRA)
  • Current moderate-to-severe SUD or AUD (Except CUD and nicotine for NEMO-CUD).
  • Current pregnancy.
  • Seizure, neurological conditions, or brain surgery history.
  • Implanted medical devices (e.g., cochlear implants, cardiac pacemakers).
  • Change in psychotropic medication in the past 3 months (i.e., medication needs to be stable for 12 weeks).
  • Use of seizure threshold lowering medication (e.g., Stimulants, Benzos, SNRIs, Antipsychotics [Adderall, Vyvanse, Xanax, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Lithium] - SSRIs not exclusionary).

Specific CUD Inclusion:

  • Avg. 6+ cannabis use days per week over the past 3-months, and 24+ cannabis use days in the past 30 days.
  • Primary delta-9 or THC-A cannabis flower or vape concentrate user.
  • Current moderate-to-severe CUD (4+ criteria in the past year, at least one criterion other than craving must be met in the past three months).
  • Cannabis is the primary substance of use (Nicotine dependence is allowable)
  • Not currently receiving treatment for cannabis, planning to immediately quit or reduce use.
  • Lifetime history of MDE/PDD must have lifetime anhedonia symptom and/or heavy cannabis user (3+ sessions daily for at least past year including the past 3-months and past 30 days).

Specific MDD Inclusion:

  • Current MDE diagnosis.
  • No lifetime history of severe SUD.
  • No current moderate-to-severe SUD.
  • 100% of NEMO-MDD participants elevated anhedonia on TEPS-C (i.e., 32 or lower on TEPS-C subscale).

Specific Control Inclusion:

  • No current or historical psychiatric diagnosis.

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Fundamentele wetenschap
  • Toewijzing: Gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Crossover-opdracht
  • Masker: Dubbele

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Experimenteel: Delta tACS

All participants receive delta (2.5 Hz), theta (6 Hz), and sham tACS across three separate sessions, separated by a 7-10 day washout. Session order is randomised and counterbalanced using a balanced Latin square, within each diagnostic group (CUD, MDD, healthy control). Stimulation is interleaved between the 8 blocks of the EEfRT (e.g., block 1 with stimulation, block 2 without, etc.). EEG activity will be recorded throughout the non-stimulation 4 blocks and proceeding interleaved non-stimulation blocks.
Apparaat: Transcranial Alternating Current Delta Stimulation.

Approximately 20-minutes of delta stimulation (2.5Hz) applied to F3 (returns AF7, FC5, FC1) and AFz (returns Fp1, Fp2, F2). Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Device is NeuroConn DC-Stimulator MC.
Actieve vergelijker: Theta tACS

All participants receive delta (2.5 Hz), theta (6 Hz), and sham tACS across three separate sessions, separated by a 7-10 day washout. Session order is randomised and counterbalanced using a balanced Latin square, within each diagnostic group (CUD, MDD, healthy control). Stimulation is interleaved between the 8 blocks of the EEfRT (e.g., block 1 with stimulation, block 2 without, etc.). EEG activity will be recorded throughout the non-stimulation 4 blocks and proceeding interleaved non-stimulation blocks.
Apparaat: Transcranial Alternating Current Theta Stimulation

Approximately 20-minutes of theta stimulation (6Hz) applied to F3 (returns AF7, FC5, FC1) and AFz (returns Fp1, Fp2, F2). Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Device is NeuroConn DC-Stimulator MC.
Sham-vergelijker: Sham tACS

All participants receive delta (2.5 Hz), theta (6 Hz), and sham tACS across three separate sessions, separated by a 7-10 day washout. Session order is randomised and counterbalanced using a balanced Latin square, within each diagnostic group (CUD, MDD, healthy control). Stimulation is interleaved between the 8 blocks of the EEfRT (e.g., block 1 with stimulation, block 2 without, etc.). EEG activity will be recorded throughout the non-stimulation 4 blocks and proceeding interleaved non-stimulation blocks.
Apparaat: Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Sham

The tACS stimulation is briefly turned on and off over the course of 15-30 seconds.

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Effort-updating behavior during decision period.
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

The % of hard effort choices selected following a win versus following a loss.
Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.
Delta phase coherence between left lateral and medial frontal electrodes during decision period following a win versus following a loss.
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

Electrical activity of the brain will be recorded via EEG during performance of the task and neurostimulation. Delta phase connectivity between left lateral and medial frontal electrodes during the decision period following a win versus following a loss.
Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.
Reward positivity amplitude
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

Electrical activity of the brain will be recorded via EEG during performance of the task and neurostimulation. Reward positivity amplitude to wins vs. losses.
Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Delta event-related spectral power
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

Electrical activity of the brain will be recorded via EEG during performance of the task and neurostimulation. Delta power to wins vs. losses.
Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.
Delta intertrial phase coherence
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

Electrical activity of the brain will be recorded via EEG during performance of the task and neurostimulation. Delta intertrial phase coherence to wins vs. losses.
Baseline (Day 0), Sham Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Theta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30), Delta Stim. Session (Day 1-10, or Day 10-20, or Day 20-30). Specific range depends on particular counterbalanced order.

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Sponsor

Florida State University

Onderzoekers

  • Hoofdonderzoeker: Richard J Macatee, Ph.D., Florida State University

Publicaties en nuttige links

De persoon die verantwoordelijk is voor het invoeren van informatie over het onderzoek stelt deze publicaties vrijwillig ter beschikking. Dit kan gaan over alles wat met het onderzoek te maken heeft.

Algemene publicaties

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Geschat)

1 november 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

1 april 2027

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

1 mei 2027

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

26 oktober 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

3 november 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

9 november 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

9 november 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

3 november 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 oktober 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Trefwoorden

Aanvullende relevante MeSH-voorwaarden

Andere studie-ID-nummers

  • STUDY00007710

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

Bent u van plan om gegevens van individuele deelnemers (IPD) te delen?

NEE

Beschrijving IPD-plan

The IPD will only be shared under reasonable request. The investigators might not share IPD in order to keep participant confidentiality paramount.

Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Ja

product vervaardigd in en geëxporteerd uit de V.S.

Nee

Deze informatie is zonder wijzigingen rechtstreeks van de website clinicaltrials.gov gehaald. Als u verzoeken heeft om uw onderzoeksgegevens te wijzigen, te verwijderen of bij te werken, neem dan contact op met register@clinicaltrials.gov. Zodra er een wijziging wordt doorgevoerd op clinicaltrials.gov, wordt deze ook automatisch bijgewerkt op onze website .

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