Condition

Anhedonia clinical trials and research

• 25Clinical trials
• 49NIH research projects
• 1New in 30 days
• 10Countries

Newest Anhedonia clinical trials

All recruiting trials (25)

• Can tACS modulate motivation and reward signals in cannabis use disorder and depression

  We’re testing whether a gentle brain stimulation method (tACS) can boost motivation and reward responses in adults with cannabis use and/or depression to see if it helps with anhedonia.

  Recruiting Florida State University · Tallahassee, Florida and 1 other locations · NCT07924852

• iTBS to help anhedonia in depression (dual left DLPFC + OFC or left DLPFC alone)

  A brain stimulation study tests whether intermittent theta burst stimulation can help people with major depression who have anhedonia, using both dual-target (left DLPFC and OFC) and single-target (left DLPFC) approaches.

  Recruiting Central South University · Changsha, Hunan · NCT07813169

• How GLP-1 medicines affect happiness and emotional eating in people with obesity

  This study follows adults starting GLP-1 weight-loss therapy to see how their feelings of pleasure and emotional eating change over 6 months.

  Recruiting TC Erciyes University · Kayseri, Melikgazi · NCT07803185

• Reward Sensitivity Digital App for Adolescent Suicidal Thoughts

  A smartphone app is tested in teens to see if daily check-ins and mood-building activities can reduce suicidal thoughts and improve mood.

  Recruiting University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · NCT07661901

• Targeted tACS for anhedonia in older adults with depression

  We’re testing personalized transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to see if it improves anhedonia and depressive symptoms in people aged 60 and up with late-life depression.

  Recruiting Tianjin Anding Hospital · Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality · NCT07637773

• Psilocybin as a New But Simple Test for Residual Anhedonia in Depression

  This study tests whether a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, given with people already on an SSRI or SNRI, can help restore pleasure and motivation in adults with major depressive disorder.

  Recruiting Phase 1 NYU Langone Health · New York, New York · NCT07607938

• Psilocybin to reduce loss of pleasure (anhedonia) in depression

  This trial will test whether psilocybin, given alone or with a risperidone blockade, can reduce anhedonia and boost well‑being in adults with depression.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Medical University of Vienna · Vienna, State of Vienna · NCT07490353

• Just-in-time Safety Planning for suicidal youths using ViraSafe

  This study tests whether the ViraSafe app, an enhanced version of the BRITE safety planning tool, helps suicidal youths engage with coping skills and safety planning more than the original app.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Ksana Health · Eugene, Oregon and 2 other locations · NCT07348666

• Using tDCS to improve emotional health in young adults with mild depressive symptoms

  This study will test whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve mood, motivation, and emotion regulation in 18–35-year-olds with subthreshold depression.

  Recruiting The University of Hong Kong · Hong Kong · NCT07319143

• Positive Events Training to Help Teens Feel Happier

  This study tests a group program called Positive Events Training (PET) to help 12- to 16-year-olds with depressive symptoms feel more positive by recalling and planning enjoyable events.

  Recruiting KU Leuven · Leuven · NCT07288541

• Two-week smartphone program to boost reward response in people with anhedonia

  This trial tests whether three brief daily smartphone audio exercises teaching positive imagery, savoring, gratitude, and related skills can reduce anhedonia and psychological distress in German-speaking adults with elevated anhedonia and depression.

  Recruiting Philipps University Marburg · Marburg, Hesse · NCT07155941

• Esketamine nasal spray for people with treatment-resistant depression in routine care

  This study will try esketamine nasal spray in adults with treatment-resistant depression to see how well it works and how safe it is in everyday clinical settings.

  Recruiting at 5 sites Universita degli Studi di Genova · Genova, Ge and 4 other locations · NCT07146503

• Long-term follow-up of depression in psychiatric care

  This project will follow 415 people with difficult-to-treat depression who were previously studied to see how their symptoms and treatment outcomes change over five years.

  Recruiting Region Skane · Lund and 1 other locations · NCT07078227

• Stress patterns and anhedonia during adolescence

  We will see if combining brain scans, stress hormones, and heart-rate measures can identify patterns linked to developing anhedonia in 13–15-year-olds.

  Recruiting University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, North Carolina · NCT07040449

• Digital Behavioral Activation for At-risk Youth

  This study is testing a new app called Vira, along with help from health coaches, to see if it can encourage at-risk teens to engage in positive activities and improve their mood and mental health.

  Recruiting at 2 sites University of Pittsburgh · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and 1 other locations · NCT06829953

• Therapy for public speaking anxiety using mood treatments

  This study is testing whether adding a positive mood treatment or relaxation technique before exposure therapy can help people with social anxiety and public speaking fear feel less anxious.

  Recruiting at 2 sites University of California, Los Angeles · Los Angeles, California and 1 other locations · NCT06776991

• TrueBlue mobile app for tracking depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after birth

  This project will test whether the TrueBlue smartphone app can monitor symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loss of pleasure in people who are pregnant or within 12 weeks after giving birth.

  Recruiting BlueSkeye AI · Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and 1 other locations · NCT06364488

• Investigating brain stimulation effects on pleasure-seeking behavior in depression

  This study is testing if a new type of brain stimulation can help people with depression feel more motivated and enjoy life more.

  Recruiting Florida State University · Tallahassee, Florida · NCT06132581

• Effects of psychotherapy on brain function in PTSD

  This study is testing whether trauma-focused therapy can change how the brain processes rewards in people with chronic PTSD to see if it helps them feel more positive emotions.

  Recruiting University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas · NCT06096740

• Exploring L-DOPA for treating depression and anhedonia

  This study is testing if L-DOPA can help people aged 25-55 with depression and lack of pleasure feel better over 8 weeks compared to a placebo.

  Recruiting Phase 4 Emory University · Atlanta, Georgia · NCT06075771

• Using smartphone GPS to study emotions and behaviors

  This study is trying to see how people's feelings and thoughts change in different places by using smartphone GPS and brain scans over four months.

  Recruiting University of Miami · Coral Gables, Florida · NCT05991713

• A digital platform to reduce suicide risk in at-risk youth

  This study is testing a new digital platform called Vira to see if it can help reduce suicide risk in teens aged 13-18 who are getting treatment for mental health issues.

  Recruiting Ksana Health · New York, New York · NCT05920252

• Investigating the link between inflammation and depression in people with HIV

  This study is testing if an anti-inflammatory drug can help reduce depression symptoms in people with HIV who have high inflammation.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 2 Emory University · Atlanta, Georgia and 1 other locations · NCT05849038

• Effects of Estradiol on Depression and Psychosis in Perimenopausal Women

  This study tests if giving estradiol to women aged 44-55 who are going through perimenopause can help improve their depression and psychosis symptoms.

  Recruiting Phase 4 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, North Carolina · NCT05282277

• Using brain imaging to personalize electric stimulation for treating anhedonia in bipolar depression

  This study is testing if a type of brain stimulation can help people with bipolar depression who struggle to feel pleasure and see if it makes a difference in their symptoms.

  Recruiting The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Houston, Texas · NCT05240352

NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 49)

Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.

• Are memory problems linked to loss of pleasure (anhedonia)?

  This project looks at whether memory problems help explain why adults with conditions like depression, PTSD, or schizophrenia lose interest in things they used to enjoy.

  NIH research University of California-Irvine · Irvine, United States · NIH-11501053

• Neural and computational markers linked to reward that may predict cannabis use escalation in young adults with anhedonia

  This study follows young adults with anhedonia to see how their brain responses to rewards and computational signals relate to increasing cannabis use over time.

  NIH research University of Illinois at Chicago · Chicago, UNITED STATES · NIH-11432812

• Could brain inflammation cause loss of pleasure and motivation?

  Looks at whether blood and brain inflammation are tied to reduced pleasure and motivation in teens and adults.

  NIH research Auburn University at Auburn · Auburn, UNITED STATES · NIH-11419052

• Inflammation and mood/movement issues in people with HIV linked to a next-generation TNF blocker

  Aims to see how inflammation affects anhedonia and slow movement in people with HIV when treated with a next-generation TNF blocker.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11412638

• Fentanyl Overdose, Anhedonia, and Relapse Risk in Opioid Use Disorder

  This NIH grant aims to understand how a fentanyl overdose might cause anhedonia and raise the risk of relapse for people with opioid use disorder.

  NIH research Tufts University Boston · Boston, United States · NIH-11403998

• Epigenetic changes linked to anhedonia and fear in alcohol withdrawal

  Researchers are studying how brain cell changes during alcohol withdrawal may drive mood and fear problems, with potential to guide better treatments for AUD-related symptoms.

  NIH research University of Illinois at Chicago · Chicago, UNITED STATES · NIH-11400955

• Non-invasive brain stimulation to help anhedonia in depression

  A new non-invasive brain stimulation method (kTMP) is being tested to help people with major depressive disorder who feel a lack of pleasure.

  NIH research Magnetic Tides, INC. · El Cerrito, United States · NIH-11395657

• Synaptic changes behind ketamine’s quick relief of stress-related anhedonia

  Researchers are studying how a single low dose of ketamine rapidly eases anhedonia by changing brain connections, aiming to help people with treatment-resistant depression.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11380643

• Understanding how stress affects anhedonia in anxious and depressed teens

  A science team is studying how stress-related bodily responses relate to the loss of interest and pleasure in teens aged 12–15 to help identify new ways to prevent or treat mood disorders.

  NIH research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, United States · NIH-11374567

• Understanding how the immune system and brain barriers affect depression and anhedonia

  A research project is studying how immune signals and the brain’s protective barrier relate to depression and loss of pleasure in adults.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11367642

• Mapping real-world diversity and positive emotion to brain dynamics in anhedonia

  A study will explore how everyday experiences and brain activity relate to positive emotions in people with anhedonia, with the goal of identifying ways to boost positive mood in real life.

  NIH research University of Miami Coral Gables · Coral Gables, United States · NIH-11314567

• Ketamine's effects on anhedonia and anxiety in depression explored with ultra-high-field brain imaging

  Researchers will study how specific brain circuits relate to anhedonia and anxiety in adults with depression using ultra-high-field MRI and ketamine-related insights.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11311804

• Memory and loss of pleasure (anhedonia)

  This project looks at whether problems remembering how rewarding past experiences felt may help explain why adults with depression, PTSD, or schizophrenia stop enjoying things.

  NIH research University of California-Irvine · Irvine, United States · NIH-11258876

• Stress-related glutamate changes in the brain and ketamine for loss of pleasure

  This work looks at whether stress changes a brain chemical called glutamate in people with depression and whether ketamine can help reverse loss of pleasure.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11248777

• How estrogen (estradiol) affects brain reward signals in women whose loss of pleasure or psychotic symptoms started around menopause

  This project looks at whether estradiol changes how the brain responds to rewards in women who developed loss of pleasure (anhedonia) or psychotic symptoms during the menopause transition.

  NIH research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, United States · NIH-11248771

• Why people with schizophrenia have trouble anticipating pleasure

  This project uses computer-based brain models and brain scans to understand why people with schizophrenia often don’t feel pleasure when they expect a reward.

  NIH research Columbia University Health Sciences · New York, United States · NIH-11248392

• Understanding why people lose pleasure from social interactions after a first psychotic episode

  This project uses brain scans and motivational interviewing to look at how people within two years of their first psychotic episode learn and respond to social rewards.

  NIH research University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, United States · NIH-11234304

• Understanding how stress affects pleasure in teenagers

  This study looks at how stress affects the ability to feel pleasure in teenagers aged 12 to 20, hoping to find ways to help those who struggle to enjoy things they used to love.

  NIH research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, United States · NIH-11220759

• Exploring how memory affects the ability to feel pleasure

  This study is looking at how the inability to feel pleasure, often seen in conditions like depression and PTSD, might be connected to memory issues, especially in remembering enjoyable experiences, to help improve treatments for those affected.

  NIH research University of California-Irvine · Irvine, United States · NIH-11218706

• How stress affects brain chemistry and treatment response in depression

  This study is looking at how long-term stress can make people lose interest in things they used to enjoy, which is a common issue for those with depression, and it aims to understand how changes in brain chemicals might explain this, so we can find better treatments for everyone affected.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11218705

• Investigating how changes in estradiol levels affect mood and reward in perimenopausal women

  This study is looking at how changes in estrogen levels during perimenopause might affect mood and feelings of pleasure in women who are experiencing a lack of enjoyment, which is a common symptom of depression. By using special brain imaging techniques, researchers want to see how these hormone changes relate to brain

  NIH research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, United States · NIH-11163957

• Dopamine Treatment for Depression with Inflammation and Loss of Pleasure

  This work explores if a dopamine-boosting medication can help people with depression who experience a loss of pleasure and have signs of inflammation.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11145195

• Dopamine and depression with loss of enjoyment in teens

  This project looks at how dopamine relates to mood and loss of enjoyment in adolescents aged 12–20.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11145084

• Understanding Pleasure and Stress Responses in Teenagers

  This work looks at how stress affects a teenager's ability to feel pleasure, hoping to find new ways to help young people.

  NIH research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, United States · NIH-11137727

• How ketamine can quickly reverse stress-related loss of pleasure

  This work looks at how a single low dose of ketamine can rapidly restore pleasure and motivation for people with stress-related depression.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11129906

• Exploring how diverse experiences can boost positive emotions in people with depression

  This study is looking at how trying new activities and visiting different places can help boost positive feelings in people dealing with depression and PTSD, and it aims to find ways to improve mental health through these real-life experiences.

  NIH research University of Miami Coral Gables · Coral Gables, United States · NIH-11086776

• Investigating how ketamine affects depression-related symptoms using advanced MRI technology

  This study is looking at how ketamine helps people with depression feel better, especially when it comes to feeling joy and managing anxiety, by using advanced brain scans to see how certain parts of the brain work in adults with depression.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11078253

• Investigating how immune cell metabolism affects depression in people with HIV

  This study is looking at how certain immune cells might contribute to feelings of depression in people with HIV, and it will explore whether an anti-inflammatory medication called baricitinib can help improve mood and motivation.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11077821

• Understanding how reduced interest in rewards affects alcohol use in Veterans

  This study is looking at how feeling less pleasure in life, known as anhedonia, affects drinking habits in Veterans with alcohol use disorder, and it hopes to find ways to help them recover better by understanding their unique brain and behavior patterns.

  NIH research VA San Diego Healthcare System · San Diego, United States · NIH-11071967

• Understanding how the brain processes reward anticipation in schizophrenia

  This study is looking at how people with schizophrenia can have a hard time expecting pleasure, and it aims to understand the brain processes behind this feeling so that we can better help those who experience it.

  NIH research Columbia University Health Sciences · New York, United States · NIH-11058205

• Investigating how stress affects mood and motivation through inflammation and brain chemistry

  This study is looking at how stress can make people feel less pleasure and motivation, which is called anhedonia, by checking how stress affects inflammation and brain chemistry, and it's aimed at helping those who are struggling with these feelings find better treatments.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11046564

• Exploring how inflammation affects feelings of pleasure and motivation

  This study is looking at how inflammation in the brain might affect the ability to feel pleasure, especially in different age groups, and it's for anyone interested in understanding more about how these factors relate to feelings of joy and motivation.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11034860

• How sleep timing and length affect teen depression and ability to feel pleasure

  This project looks at whether changing sleep timing and how long high-school teens sleep can help brain responses to reward and stress and reduce depressive symptoms and loss of pleasure.

  NIH research University of Oregon · Eugene, United States · NIH-11031378

• Investigating how stress affects reward response and treatment with ketamine

  This study is looking at how long-term stress can make people with major depressive disorder lose interest in things they used to enjoy, and it aims to understand how a brain chemical called glutamate is involved, especially with the hope that ketamine might help improve these feelings.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11003680

• Investigating how estradiol affects brain responses to rewards in women experiencing menopause-related mood disorders.

  This study is looking at how hormonal changes during menopause affect mood issues like feeling less pleasure and experiencing psychosis, and it's for women going through perimenopause to help find better ways to treat these feelings.

  NIH research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, United States · NIH-11001915

• The impact of childhood trauma on brain function and feelings of pleasure in those at risk for psychosis

  This study looks at how childhood trauma might change how the brain works, especially in a part called the hippocampus, and how this could lead to feelings of not enjoying things, which can happen in people at risk of developing psychosis, with the hope of finding ways to help them feel better before serious symptoms a

  NIH research Temple Univ of the Commonwealth · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-10974470

• Exploring how social reward learning affects enjoyment in social interactions for those experiencing early psychosis

  This study is looking at how people who have just had their first episode of psychosis learn from social experiences and why some find it hard to enjoy social interactions, with the hope of finding better ways to help them connect with others.

  NIH research University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, United States · NIH-10954263

• Exploring how memory affects the ability to feel pleasure

  This study is looking at how people with conditions like depression and PTSD remember happy moments and how that affects their ability to feel pleasure, with the goal of finding better ways to diagnose and treat anhedonia.

  NIH research University of California-Irvine · Irvine, United States · NIH-10953532

• Understanding how brain activity affects pleasure-seeking behavior in depression

  This study is looking at how the brain works when people have trouble feeling pleasure, which often happens with depression, to help find better ways to treat those who struggle with this issue.

  NIH research Florida State University · Tallahassee, United States · NIH-10927445

• Using dopamine therapy to treat lack of pleasure in depression caused by inflammation

  This study is looking at how inflammation in the body might impact the brain's ability to produce dopamine, which helps with feelings of pleasure and motivation, and it's for people with depression who might not be feeling joy in their lives; by giving a medication called levodopa, the researchers hope to boost dopamin

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-10917402

Related topics

Quick answers

How many Anhedonia clinical trials are recruiting right now?

25, as of November 12, 2026. 1 of them was first registered in the last 30 days. We update this list each time we refresh our data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

Where are these trials running?

In 10 countries. The most sites are in United States (15 trials), China (2 trials), Belgium (1 trial), Hong Kong (1 trial), Sweden (1 trial). Each study page lists its sites and which ones are recruiting.

What phases are they in?

Phase 4: 2, Phase 1: 2, Phase 2: 1. Trials with no phase listed are usually device, behavioural or observational studies.

How do I join one?

Open a study, check the "Is this trial a fit for you?" section, then contact the study team listed on the page. They will ask a few screening questions. Asking is free and does not commit you to anything. Talk it over with your doctor first.

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