Brain stimulation at two sites for loss of pleasure in depression
Compares two brain stimulation approaches for loss of pleasure in adults with depression.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Study on iTBS Regulating the Reward Circuit Function to Improve Anhedonia in Depression
Key facts
- Where
- Changsha, ChinaSee 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 45 years old?
Source: NCT07813169, who can take part
Where in China
- The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangsha, ChinaTaking 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
- Guo Wenbin
- Trial code
- NCT07813169
- Record updated
- 10 September 2026
- Original description
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.Read full original descriptionShow less
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.
Inclusion: 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.
Exclusion: 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; 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; 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.