Brain stimulation to improve attention in major depression
Official title: Selective Attention Deficits and Neuromodulation in Major Depressive Disorder: Using EEG and MRI-guided iTBS Study
Run by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China · NCT07111169 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This will test whether brief bursts of magnetic brain stimulation (iTBS) can improve selective attention in adults with major depressive disorder.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chengdu, Sichuan) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 1, 2024 |
| Main results expected | December 30, 2028 |
| Study ends | December 30, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | August 8, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07111169 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–55 with DSM-5 major depressive disorder who are right-handed, have normal or corrected vision, and are unmedicated or on stable medication; participants randomized to the neuronavigation arm must be eligible for MRI.
✕Probably not a fit
People with other severe mental disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia), high suicidal risk, recent neuromodulation or psychotherapy within six months, significant cognitive or sensory impairments, or MRI contraindications (for the neuronavigation arm) are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This double-blind, sham-controlled interventional protocol delivers intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and compares neuronavigated targeting versus manual Beam F3 localization. Effects will be measured behaviorally with an additional-singleton attention task and neurophysiologically with concurrent EEG. Sixty participants with MDD will be randomized to active-iTBS (n=30) or sham-iTBS (n=30), with neuronavigation used for the active arm and Beam F3 for the sham arm. The design tests whether left DLPFC iTBS restores top-down distractor suppression and how targeting method influences outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve top-down attention control and reduce cognitive symptoms in people with major depressive disorder, possibly improving daily functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Prior rTMS/iTBS studies have shown antidepressant effects and some work suggests neuronavigated targeting can better engage cortical targets, but effects specifically on selective attention and the added value of neuronavigation remain incompletely established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18-55 years * Right-handed * Normal or corrected normal visual acuity * MDD: meet the proposed DSM-5 MDD criteria, unmedicated or stable medicated within the last one month. Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of other severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, etc. * high suicidal risk * Unnormal intellectual functioning, auditory impairments, * Have received neuromodulation, such as Modified Electroconvulsive Therapy (MECT), or any psychotherapy within the past 6 months. * Only for the active-iTBS group: have a contraindication to MRI scanning (e.g., metal implants, claustrophobia or other conditions that make them inappropriate for MRI scanning).
Where it's running
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The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, Chengdu Fourth People's Hospital, Jiujiang Branch (Chengdu Mental Health Center)
Chengdu, Sichuan, China Recruiting
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.