NCT07813169Recruiting
Study on iTBS Regulating the Reward Circuit Function to Improve Anhedonia in Depression
Study on the Efficacy of iTBS Targeting NAc and sgACC in Regulating the Reward Circuit Function to Improve Anhedonia in Depression
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 10 Sept 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
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.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 60 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 24 May 2026
- Start date
- 19 May 2026
- Primary completion date
- 3 Jul 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Guo Wenbin
- Diseases
- Depression
- NCT number
- NCT07813169
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 60
- From 19 May 2026 to the primary completion date, 3 Jul 2027
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- 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);
- Receipt of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within the past 6 months, or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) within the past 3 months;
- Current daily use of lorazepam \> 2 mg (or an equivalent dose), or use of antiepileptic drugs at any dose;
Other illness
- A history of epilepsy, seizures, stroke, or other serious organic brain diseases;
- Presence of severe infectious diseases, malignant tumors, or other major unstable medical conditions;
- Intellectual disability or developmental delay, presence of psychotic symptoms, or meeting the diagnostic criteria for other psychiatric disorders;
- A history of substance abuse or psychoactive substance use;
Other
- Contraindications to MRI or structural intracranial abnormalities detected on MRI;
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women;
- Presence of strong suicidal ideation, or a MADRS item 10 score \> 4.
Who the study is looking for
- Aged 18-45 years, and right-handed;
- 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;
- 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;
- Medication type and dosage remained unchanged for at least 4 weeks prior to treatment initiation and throughout the study period;
- MADRS item 10 score ≤ 4.
Age in the registry: 18 years to 45 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Changsha | China | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.