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Neuro-affective Response to Light in Depressed Adolescents and Young Adults

ConditionsDepression in Adolescence Depression in Adults

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age12-30

SponsorUniversity of Pittsburgh

About this trial

The goal of this neuroimaging pilot study is to understand developmental differences in the impact of therapeutic wavelength light (blue light) versus a non-therapeutic wavelength (red light) on emotional brain function in depression. The main questions this study aims to answer are:

* Does acute exposure to blue light (vs red light) stabilize emotional brain function in depressed individuals? * Are stabilizing effects of blue light (vs red light) stronger for blue light in adolescents than young adults?

Participants will complete:

* A magnetic resonance imaging brain scan, in which we will examine the effect of blue versus red light on emotional brain function at rest and in response to rewards and losses. * A pupillometry test of sensitivity to blue vs red light * Clinical interviews and surveys * Screening measures for drug and alcohol use, MRI safety, and current pregnancy \[if relevant\] * Home sleep tracking with sleep diary and actigraphy for one week

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Elevated Depressive Symptoms [PHQ9≥5 And (Item 1≥1 or Item 2≥1)]

(If <18yr) Parent or guardian can attend the baseline clinical interview

Disqualifiers

Unable to read and write in English

Intellectual disability.

Left or mixed handedness

Changes to psychotropic medication type or dosage in the past 2 months

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

Blue Light
Other intervention
Blue light exposure
Red Light
Other intervention
Red light exposure

Treatment groups

80 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Group A: Blue then Red LightExperimental treatment 2 interventions

Group B: Red Light then Blue LightExperimental treatment 2 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Amygdala cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposure

Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the amygdala region of interest will be examined.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

2

Ventral Striatum cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposure

Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the ventral striatum region of interest will be examined.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

3

Amygdala activity (loss>neutral) during Blue vs Red light exposure

This outcome will be measured during the an auditory probabilistic reward task, which is a computerized fMRI behavioral task. Activation is defined by blood oxygen dependent signal within an amygdala region of interest on loss versus neutral (no win/no loss) trials.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

4

Ventral Striatum activity (punish>neutral) during Blue vs Red light exposure

This outcome will be measured during the an auditory probabilistic reward task, which is a computerized fMRI behavioral task. Activation is defined by blood oxygen dependent signal within a ventral striatum region of interest on win versus neutral (no win/no loss) trials.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

Secondary outcomes

1

Medial prefrontal cortex cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposure

Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the medial prefrontal region of interest will be examined.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

2

Insula cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposure

Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the insula regions of interest will be examined.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

3

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex cerebral blood flow during Blue vs Red light exposure

Cerebral blood flow will be assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling collected during blue and red light exposures. Regional cerebral blood flow in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex regions of interest will be examined.

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

4

Amygdala-whole brain functional connectivity (loss>neutral) during Blue vs Red light exposure

This outcome will be measured during the an auditory probabilistic reward task, which is a computerized fMRI behavioral task. Functional connectivity is defined as a psychophysiological interaction between the seed region (amygdala) and the whole brain on loss versus neutral (no win/no loss) trials

Time frame

Collected during the blue and red light exposures during the MRI scan at the lab visit

Sponsors and contacts

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University of Pittsburgh

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov