Brain Markers of Depression Vulnerability: the Case of Prefrontal Haemodynamic Response

NCT05427578 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HSEARS20210323001-01
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a cheap and reliable tool to investigate prefrontal brain activation in the healthy and diseased human brain. As such, fNIRS bears great potential as a diagnostic tool for clinical practice. Research indicates that fNIRS, together with a relatively simple task to activate the prefrontal cortex, the so-called verbal fluency task (VFT), elucidates prefrontal dysfunction in major depressive disorder (MDD). This finding can potentially serve as an imaging marker for disease pathology, even when depressive symptoms are absent. Indeed, recent research also suggests prefrontal dysfunction in fully remitted MDD (rMDD). Prefrontal haemodynamic responses may therefore serve as a trait marker for MDD vulnerability. This study aims to investigate the haemodynamic response in rMDD, healthy participants with increased MDD risk (HCr; having a 1st-degree relative with MDD), and low-risk healthy participants (HCnr; having no 1st-degree relatives with MDD) using fNIRS. The investigators hypothesize lower prefrontal reactivity in HCr compared to HCnr, and lowest prefrontal reactivity in rMDD compared to HCnr. This study has the potential to elucidate the neuronal underpinnings of depression vulnerability in the absence of symptoms that are sometimes considered a confounding factor when it comes to studying the biological encoding of depression.

Conditions

Depression

Keywords

remitted major depression; depression vulnerability

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) change during VFT

  The HbO change during VFT measuring by fNIRS

  Up to 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) change during VFT

  Up to 6 months

• The VFT outcome

  Up to 6 months

Study Arms (3)

Remitted depression

Patients in full remission of a major depressive disorder (rMDD)

Other: fNIRS measurement

Healthy participants at risk

Healthy participants with increased MDD risk (having a 1st-degree relative with MDD)

Other: fNIRS measurement

Healthy participants low risk

Healthy participants with low MDD risk (having no 1st-degree relatives with MDD)

Other: fNIRS measurement

Interventions

fNIRS measurement OTHER

measurement using functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Healthy participants at risk; Healthy participants low risk; Remitted depression

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

rMDD group: People who had major depressive disorders now fully remitted HCr group: Healthy control group with a high risk of depression, refer to as healthy volunteers who have a 1st-degree relative with MDD in this study. HCnr group: Healthy control group with a low risk of depression, refer to as healthy volunteers who have no a 1st-degree relative with MDD in this study.

You may qualify if:

• Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) \> 24

You may not qualify if:

• Current diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or autism
• current or past diagnosis of neurological disorders, such as head injuries, strokes, encephalitis, epilepsy, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dr Georg Kranz: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITHOUT DNA

Without collecting biospecimen.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Georg S Kranz, PhD

  The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 16, 2022
• First Posted: June 22, 2022
• Study Start: August 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: November 29, 2024
• Study Completion: November 29, 2024
• Last Updated: December 11, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-12

Locations

HK (1)