Linking anxiety symptoms to deep brain activity

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

The protocol uses intracerebral stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) recorded during phase II presurgical evaluation in patients with drug‑resistant epilepsy to capture deep brain electrical activity. Fifteen patients with comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and 15 epilepsy controls without GAD will complete a customized anxiety‑provoking behavioral task while sEEG, physiological stress markers, and self‑reported anxiety are recorded. Electrophysiological measures such as coherence and task‑related responses will be compared between groups and correlated with clinical characteristics. The approach aims to identify intracranial activity patterns linked to pathological anxiety that are not accessible with noninvasive imaging.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Man or woman
* Aged 18 to 65;
* With drug-resistant epilepsy
* Benefiting from a phase II pre-surgical assessment with intracerebral electrophysiological exploration by stereo-EEG
* Meeting the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder ("pathological" population) or not meeting the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder ("control" population)
* WAIS IV full scale IQ \> 75 or IAG \> 81
* Affiliate or beneficiary of a social security scheme
* Giving free, informed consent in writing and signed by the participant and the investigator

Exclusion Criteria:

* Being unable to give personal consent
* Be subject to a measure of legal protection (curatorship, guardianship) or placed under judicial protection;
* Suffer from a chronic delusional disorder (eg: schizophrenia);
* Have a moderate or high risk of suicide assessed using the corresponding section of the structured psychiatric interview called "Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview" (M.I.N.I. 7.0) or a score \> 2 on item 10 of the MADRS, assessing suicidal risk;
* Being pregnant or breastfeeding
* Have severe and / or decompensated somatic illness other than drug-resistant epilepsy

Where it's running

• CHU de Bordeaux
  Bordeaux, France Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Jérôme Aupy, Dr — University Hospital, Bordeaux
• Study coordinator: Jérôme Aupy, Dr
• Email: jerome.aupy@chu-bordeaux.fr
• Phone: 05 56 79 56 79

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.