Brain stimulation study for motivation and reward in depression and cannabis use
Tests brain stimulation with weak electrical currents in adults with depression or cannabis use disorder.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Neuromodulation of Motivation and Reward Oscillations
Key facts
- Where
- Tallahassee, United StatesSee the 2 sites
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 55 years old?
Source: NCT07924852, who can take part
Where in United States
- The BRAINS Lab at Florida State UniversityTallahassee, United StatesNot yet recruiting
- The Riddle Lab at Florida State UniversityTallahassee, 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
- Florida State University
- Trial code
- NCT07924852
- Record updated
- 9 November 2026
- Original description
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.Read full original descriptionShow less
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.
Inclusion: 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: Change in psychotropic medication in the past 3 months (i.e., medication needs to be stable for 12 weeks); Not currently receiving treatment for cannabis, planning to immediately quit or reduce use; Seizure, neurological conditions, or brain surgery history; Implanted medical devices (e.g., cochlear implants, cardiac pacemakers); Use of seizure threshold lowering medication (e.g., Stimulants, Benzos, SNRIs, Antipsychotics [Adderall, Vyvanse, Xanax, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Lithium] - SSRIs not exclusionary); Specific CUD Inclusion:; 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:; No lifetime history of severe SUD; No current or historical psychiatric diagnosis; 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; 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); Current MDE diagnosis; 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:.