Mindfulness-Based fMRI Neurofeedback for Depression

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age13-18
SponsorColumbia University

About this trial

In the United States, adolescents experience alarmingly high rates of major depression, and gold-standard treatments are only effective for approximately half of patients. Rumination may be a promising treatment target, as it is well-characterized at the neural level and contributes to depression onset, maintenance, and recurrence as well as predicts treatment non-response. Accordingly, the proposed research will investigate whether an innovative mindfulness-based real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback intervention successfully elicits change in the brain circuit underlying rumination to improve clinical outcomes among depressed adolescents.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Ages 13-18 years-old

Written informed assent/consent and parental/guardian permission for 13-17 year-olds or informed consent for 18 year-olds

Tanner puberty stage ≥3

Meets current diagnostic criteria for MDD

Disqualifiers

Lifetime history of primary psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, developmental disorder (e.g., autism), post-traumatic stress disorder, or eating disorders

Substance use disorder, moderate or severe in past 6 months

Active suicidal ideation with a specific plan

History of seizure disorder

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Mindfulness + fMRI Neurofeedback

Treatment groups

90 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups

Sponsors and collaborators

Columbia University

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator