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Repeated Real-time Biofeedback With 7-Tesla MRI for Treatment of Depression
Sponsor: University of Oxford
Summary
Previous work demonstrated that individuals are able to self-regulate their ventral tegmental area (VTA) activity using real-time biofeedback. The current study expands this approach to a larger sample with repeated training sessions to more robustly characterize the effects of VTA modulation. The study will assess change in mood and motivation-related measures, as well as neural activity and connectivity changes.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 65 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
60
Start Date
2026-06
Completion Date
2033-06
Last Updated
2026-07-09
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Active Biofeedback
The active biofeedback session will be done within the 7T MRI. It will include MOTIVATE and active rest trials. During each MOTIVATE trial, subjects will be instructed to generate a heightened state of motivation. Subjects will simultaneously view a progress bar on the screen during MOTIVATE trials that represents their VTA activity and they will be trained to try to increase the level of the bar by motivating themselves.
Sham Biofeedback
The sham biofeedback session resembles the active condition, however, the progress bar seen during the MOTIVATE trials will represent yoked sham values.
Locations (1)
Oxford Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (OxCIN) FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital
Oxford, United Kingdom