Testing brain stimulation for loss of pleasure in bipolar depression
Tests electrical brain stimulation against sham in adults with bipolar depression and anhedonia.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Developing Brain Imaging Analysis Expertise for Personalizing Transcranial Electric Stimulation in Anhedonia Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Depression
Key facts
- Where
- Houston, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 50 years old?
Source: NCT05240352, who can take part
Where in United States
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHouston, United StatesTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
- Trial code
- NCT05240352
- Record updated
- 18 February 2026
- Original description
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) will engage reward-related brain circuitry, more specifically the uncinate fasciculus (UF) tract, which connects the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) regions. Also to evaluate whether the changes in the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the UF tract are associated with changes of clinical symptoms of anhedonia and finally to investigate the moderation role of simulated electric fields (EFs) in an association between FA of the UF and symptoms of anhedonia.Read full original descriptionShow less
Developing Brain Imaging Analysis Expertise for Personalizing Transcranial Electric Stimulation in Anhedonia Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Depression
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) will engage reward-related brain circuitry, more specifically the uncinate fasciculus (UF) tract, which connects the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) regions. Also to evaluate whether the changes in the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the UF tract are associated with changes of clinical symptoms of anhedonia and finally to investigate the moderation role of simulated electric fields (EFs) in an association between FA of the UF and symptoms of anhedonia.
Inclusion: diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and clinically significant anhedonia; mild symptoms of depression.
Exclusion: substance abuse/dependence and any use of drugs (except alcohol or nicotine) in the previous month of the baseline assessment; previous neurological conditions (epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, etc); participants with personality disorder that would interfere with study participation according to clinical judgment; any severe, life-threatening non-psychiatric medical condition; specific contraindications for tDCS (metallic plates in the head); Participants identified as acutely suicidal or severely agitated.