NCT03257397

Brief Summary

Background Major depression is associated with morbidity and increased mortality. Along with the psychological strain depression represents a high socioeconomic burden costing Europe more than €113 billion/year. About one third of patients do not respond to appropriate therapy. Theta-burst stimulation (TBS), a form of transcranial magnetic stimulation is an emerging treatment for patients for whom pharmacological treatment is ineffective or not appropriate. Based on two different theories of prefrontal dysfunction two TBS-protocols should have the most antidepressant effects. However, no study so far has compared the two approaches or systematically investigated their differential effects on brain function and on a symptom level. Objectives of the study The aim of this study is to test two TBS protocols on symptom improvement and associated brain function in patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD): iTBS over bilateral DLPFC and iTBS over left and cTBS over right DLPFC. As stimulation over non-motor regions offers no direct readout, fMRI at baseline and after treatment will be harnessed to quantify an effect on brain activity and functional network metrics. Study population 80 patients with TRD will be enrolled with 40 patients receiving the one, and 40 patients receiving the other TBS protocol for a treatment period of three weeks. Study design The study is designed as a longitudinal, randomized and double-blind clinical trial. At baseline and after treatment, patients will undergo psychiatric testing using several symptom scales including the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-C) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Changes in HAMD-17 scores are defined as primary endpoint. Moreover MRI scans before and after treatment will include structural and functional MRI sequences as well as diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequence. Functional connectivity and BOLD responses will serve as primary imaging endpoints. A follow-up visit 2 weeks and a final examination 4 weeks after treatment will elucidate durability of effects. Relevance and implications of the study By investigating which approach is superior for which symptoms our study will contribute to the development of personalized treatment, the reduction of personal suffering and the reduction of costs and occupational disability.

Trial Health

43
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
80

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2017

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2017

Completed
17 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 18, 2017

Completed
4 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 22, 2017

Completed
2.9 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

July 31, 2020

Completed
5 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2020

Completed
Last Updated

March 13, 2019

Status Verified

March 1, 2019

Enrollment Period

3 years

First QC Date

August 18, 2017

Last Update Submit

March 11, 2019

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • HAMD

    Hamilton depression rating scale

    <1 month

  • BDI-II

    Beck Depression Inventory

    <1 month

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Regional white matter microstructure using DWI

    <1 month

  • Regional grey matter volume and using MRI

    <1 month

Other Outcomes (1)

  • Global physical activity

    <1 month

Study Arms (2)

left iTBS and right cTBS

EXPERIMENTAL

40 patients will receive intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and continuous TBS (cTBS) over the right DLPFC

Device: theta-burst stimulation (TBS) using a MagPro X1000

left and right iTBS

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

40 patients will receive intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)

Device: theta-burst stimulation (TBS) using a MagPro X1000

Interventions

iTBS over left and cTBS over right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for a period of three weeks. iTBS: 3-pulse 50 Hz bursts will be given every 200ms (at 5 Hz) in 2-second trains with an inter-train interval of 8 seconds. cTBS: 3-pulse 50 Hz bursts will be given every 200ms (at 5 Hz) in a single 40s train; one session will comprise left iTBS and right cTBS. There will be two sessions daily with 60 min in between sessions

Also known as: transcranial magnetic stimulation
left iTBS and right cTBS

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 65 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • DSM-5 diagnosis of a single or recurrent major depression
  • Failure of at least two adequate antidepressant treatments
  • HAMD-17 total score of ≥ 23 and a Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S) of ≥ 4
  • Age 18-65 years
  • Right-handedness (assessed with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory)

You may not qualify if:

  • Seizures in medical history
  • Medical history of major systemic illness, neurological disorders and previous brain injuries
  • Current psychotic symptoms
  • Substance abuse or dependence within last 3 months
  • Borderline personality disorder (based on DSM-5 criteria)
  • Pregnancy
  • Active suicidal intent
  • Benzodiazepines other than Lorazepam \< 2mg/d
  • failure to comply with the study protocol or to follow the instructions of the investigating team

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna

Vienna, 1090, Austria

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant

Interventions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive DisorderMood DisordersMental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Magnetic Field TherapyTherapeutics

Central Study Contacts

Rupert Lanzenberger, Assoc.Prof

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Assoc.-Prof. PD Dr.

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 18, 2017

First Posted

August 22, 2017

Study Start

August 1, 2017

Primary Completion

July 31, 2020

Study Completion

December 31, 2020

Last Updated

March 13, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-03

Locations