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Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Normalizes Dopaminergic Transmission in the Frontostriatal Circuit to Alleviate Depression With Metabolic Disorders.

Primary Purpose

Depression

Status
Recruiting
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Taiwan
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
Sponsored by
National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Depression focused on measuring Depression, Dopamine (DA), Frontostriatal (FS) circuit, Metabolic disorder, Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Eligibility Criteria

20 Years - 70 Years (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • (1)Signed informed consent by patient or legal representative;
  • (2) male or female patient aged ≧20 and ≦70 years;
  • (3) a diagnosis of MDD or BD according to DSM criteria made by a specialist in psychiatry;
  • (4) a total score of at least 18 in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS) at the screening stage;
  • (5) patient or a reliable caregiver can be expected to ensure acceptable compliance and visit attendance for the duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • (1) women of childbearing potential, not using adequate contraception as per investigator judgment or not willing to comply with contraception for the duration of the study;
  • (2) females who are pregnant or breast-feeding;
  • (3) other major DSM 5 diagnoses other than mood disorders, except for tobacco use disorder and anxiety disorder;
  • (4) current evidence of an uncontrolled and/or clinically significant medical condition, e.g. patients with extensive area of ischemic bruise, multiple sclerosis, cardiac, hepatic and renal failure that would compromise patient safety or preclude study participation;
  • (5) history of seizure or epilepsy;
  • (6) history of neurological diseases or traumatic brain injury;
  • (7) history of brain lesion, having received neurosurgery, meningitis or encephalitis;
  • (8) exacerbation of symptom severity, presenting severe suicidal ideation or self harm behavior during the screen or study period;
  • (9) presence of devices, e.g. pacemakers, cochlear prosthesis, neuro-stimulators, magnetic cochlear prosthesis, intracranial/intraocular metallic fragments;
  • (10) patient has received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within 3 months prior to the first intervention of the treatment;
  • (11) skin lesion at local site receiving rTMS stimulation;
  • (12) those who cannot tolerate the side effects or ever developed sleep disorder while receiving rTMS therapy.

Sites / Locations

  • National Cheng-Kung UniversityRecruiting

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Active Comparator

Active Comparator

Arm Label

MDD patient with HRSD score of at least 18

BD patient with HRSD score of at least 18

Arm Description

MDD patients who meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria of MDD and their current episode show a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) score of at least 18

BD patients who meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria of BD and their current depression episode show a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) score of at least 18

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Change from baseline mood symptom severity at several timepoints over 3 months
Evaluation for disease severity by using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) by trained senior psychiatrists. The same rater administers the scale for each patient.
Iowa gambling task (IGT) with functional MR imaging
The subject will be asked to turn a card from 4-decks voluntarily, and maximize gains and minimize losses during the game.
Change from baseline functional connectivity maps at 3 months
A 2-sample independent t-test will be employed to analyze the functional connectivity maps using SPM 12. Statistical maps will be computed to identify changes in striatum-seeded functional connectivity for between-group comparisons. The age will be regressed out as a covariate of non-interest. Significance will be threshold at the uncorrected voxel level p=0.001, followed by the FWE- corrected cluster level p=0.05.
Change from baseline homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index at several timepoints within 3 months
The homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index is calculated as the product of the fasting plasma insulin level (uIn/ml) and the fasting plasma glucose level (mg/dl), divided by 405. Insulin resistance is defined as HOMA-IR ≥2.5.
Change from baseline body mass index (BMI) at several timepoints within 3 months
Body weight (to the nearest 0.1 kg), body height (to the nearest 0.1 cm) will be measured and BMI (kg/m2) will be calculated accordingly.
Change from baseline waist and hip circumference at several timepoints within 3 months
Waist and hip circumference (to the nearest 0.1 cm) will be measured.
Change from baseline fasting serum leptin level at several timepoints within 3 months
Measured using ELISA method (Linco Research, USA). The limit of detection was 0.5 ng/mL, and the intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 7% and 9%, respectively.
Change from baseline fasting serum lipid level at several timepoints within 3 months
Fasting total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations will be measured.
Change from baseline immunological markers at several timepoints within 3 months
The fasting plasma CRP level will be assessed using an high-sensitivity CRP ELISA kit (Bender MedSystems, USA), for which the limit of detection was 3 pg/mL and the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 6.9% and 13.1%, respectively. The other immunological parameters to be analyzed include TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-1, IL-8 and IL-10.
Change from baseline neurocognitive performance at 3 months
Neurocognitive performance will be assessed using Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Finger-Tapping Test (FTT) and Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST).
Change from baseline social cognitive function at 3 months
Mayer-Salovey-Caruso emotional Intelligent Test (MSCEIT): four branches: perceiving emotion (consisting of two tasks: face and picture tasks), facilitating emotion, understanding emotion, and managing emotion (Mayer, Salovey, Caruso, & Sitarenios, 2003). The results will be scaled to a standard score based on the weight from the representative adult population (regarding age, gender, and ethnicity) in an extremely large sample of people (5,000). The reliability and validity of MSCEIT V2.0 have been proved before.
Change from baseline autonomic nervous system performance at several timepoints within 3 months
Cardiac autonomic function will be calculated by the geometric method, which is based on short-term measurements of the interbeat interval (IBI) [82]. Power spectral density analysis of HRV will be performed by fast Fourier transformation [83].

Secondary Outcome Measures

Full Information

First Posted
September 28, 2021
Last Updated
November 2, 2021
Sponsor
National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
Collaborators
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT05117983
Brief Title
Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Normalizes Dopaminergic Transmission in the Frontostriatal Circuit to Alleviate Depression With Metabolic Disorders.
Official Title
Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Normalizes Dopaminergic Transmission in the Frontostriatal Circuit to Alleviate Depression With Metabolic Disorders.
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
September 2021
Overall Recruitment Status
Recruiting
Study Start Date
August 12, 2021 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
July 31, 2024 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
July 31, 2024 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
Collaborators
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Depression and metabolic disorder (MetD) are two of the most common and debilitating disorders worldwide, occurring with significant rates of comorbidity. This is a major clinical challenge as the outcomes of both conditions are worsened. Studies have uncovered that depression and metabolic disorder are associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation. In brain circuit level, patients with depression are characterized with aberrant frontostriatal (FS) circuit connectivity and reduced activity level that also associated with metabolic comorbidity. In neurotransmitter level, the dopaminergic pathway, that could be feedback regulated by immune and metabolic factors, has long been known to involve in emotional and metabolic homeostasis. More importantly, this dopamine (DA) input is critical to shaping the FS circuit-level dynamic connectivity and plasticity. Therefore, this study hypothesizes that inflammatory and metabolic dysregulations on DA transmission link to the aberrant FS function that cause mood and metabolic syndromes. To clarify the underlying mechanisms, 90 patients who meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria of major depressive episode in either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder are planned to be recruit. FS functional connectivity and activation, before and after receiving 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex will be measured. Then systemically analyze participants' clinical symptomology, neurocognitive function, inflammation and metabolic status. Possible correlations between indices, the effects of rTMS and differences between groups will be tested. Results could provide a chance for further understanding the pathophysiology of depression with MetD and comparing between unipolar and bipolar depression, and developing brain circuit based non-invasive brain stimulation personalized treatment for depression with MetD to achieve a better outcome.
Detailed Description
Depression and metabolic disorder (MetD) are two of the most common and debilitating disorders worldwide, occurring with significant rates of comorbidity. This is a major clinical challenge as the outcomes of both conditions are worsened. Studies have uncovered that depression and metabolic disorder are associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation. In brain circuit level, patients with depression are characterized with aberrant frontostriatal (FS) circuit connectivity and reduced activity level that also associated with metabolic comorbidity. BD patients also showed functional anomalies in the VS and FS circuits with reduced neural flexibility of hedonic signaling in response to stress. The dysfunctional FS circuits also link to the metabolic comorbidities in patients with mood disorders. Regarding metabolic control, the FS functional connectivity changes affect food craving. And the altered reciprocal loop from the medial prefrontal cortex could regulate eating behavior and metabolic disturbance. In neurotransmitter level, the dopaminergic pathway, that could be feedback regulated by immune and metabolic factors, has long been known to involve in emotional and metabolic homeostasis. More importantly, this dopamine (DA) input is critical to shaping the FS circuit-level dynamic connectivity and plasticity. Disruptions in the dopamine (DA) system have been observed in psychiatric disorders. MDD might involve DA reductions that could result from either diminished DA release from presynaptic neurons or impaired signal transduction, either due to changes in receptor number or function and/or altered intracellular signal processing. Therefore this study hypothesizes that inflammatory and metabolic dysregulations on DA transmission link to the aberrant FS function that cause depression and MetD. To clarify the underlying mechanisms, unipolar and bipolar depression patients will be enrolled to measure the FS functional connectivity and activation, before and after receiving 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Then systemically analyze participants' clinical symptomology, neurocognitive function, inflammation and metabolic status. Possible correlations between indices, the effects of rTMS and the possible differences between unipolar and bipolar depression patients will be tested. Results could provide a chance for further understanding the pathophysiology and better treatment of depression with MetD, finding biomarkers for subgrouping depression between unipolar depression and bipolar depression, predicting outcomes to brain circuit based personalized rTMS treatment for depression with MetD. The specific aims of the project are: Aim 1: To find the biological homogeneousness among depression with MetD by investigate the associations between (1) FS circuit connectivity and clinical (mood and metabolic) symptoms, and (2) FS circuit activation and clinical (mood and metabolic) symptoms in both unipolar and bipolar depressed individuals. Aim 2: To confirm the role of FS in depression with MetD by applying rTMS to test its effects on (1) clinical symptoms, (2) FS circuit activation, (3) FS circuit connectivity and (4) find predictors for the rTMS treatment response. Aim 3: To study the bidirectional inflammatory and metabolic feedback regulations of the DA transmission in FS circuit in depression with MetD by investigate the associations between (1) FS circuit activation, and (2) FS circuit connectivity and systemic inflammatory/ metabolic regulators both before and after rTMS treatments.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Depression
Keywords
Depression, Dopamine (DA), Frontostriatal (FS) circuit, Metabolic disorder, Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Non-Randomized
Enrollment
90 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
MDD patient with HRSD score of at least 18
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
MDD patients who meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria of MDD and their current episode show a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) score of at least 18
Arm Title
BD patient with HRSD score of at least 18
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
BD patients who meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria of BD and their current depression episode show a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) score of at least 18
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
Other Intervention Name(s)
Antidepressants
Intervention Description
Real-time MRI-guided neuronavigation with a Visor neuronavigation system (ANT Neuro, Enschede, Netherlands) will be used for coil positioning. Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex target is located in each participant.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Change from baseline mood symptom severity at several timepoints over 3 months
Description
Evaluation for disease severity by using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) by trained senior psychiatrists. The same rater administers the scale for each patient.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12.
Title
Iowa gambling task (IGT) with functional MR imaging
Description
The subject will be asked to turn a card from 4-decks voluntarily, and maximize gains and minimize losses during the game.
Time Frame
Week 0
Title
Change from baseline functional connectivity maps at 3 months
Description
A 2-sample independent t-test will be employed to analyze the functional connectivity maps using SPM 12. Statistical maps will be computed to identify changes in striatum-seeded functional connectivity for between-group comparisons. The age will be regressed out as a covariate of non-interest. Significance will be threshold at the uncorrected voxel level p=0.001, followed by the FWE- corrected cluster level p=0.05.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
The homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index is calculated as the product of the fasting plasma insulin level (uIn/ml) and the fasting plasma glucose level (mg/dl), divided by 405. Insulin resistance is defined as HOMA-IR ≥2.5.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline body mass index (BMI) at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
Body weight (to the nearest 0.1 kg), body height (to the nearest 0.1 cm) will be measured and BMI (kg/m2) will be calculated accordingly.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline waist and hip circumference at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
Waist and hip circumference (to the nearest 0.1 cm) will be measured.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline fasting serum leptin level at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
Measured using ELISA method (Linco Research, USA). The limit of detection was 0.5 ng/mL, and the intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 7% and 9%, respectively.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline fasting serum lipid level at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
Fasting total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations will be measured.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline immunological markers at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
The fasting plasma CRP level will be assessed using an high-sensitivity CRP ELISA kit (Bender MedSystems, USA), for which the limit of detection was 3 pg/mL and the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 6.9% and 13.1%, respectively. The other immunological parameters to be analyzed include TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-1, IL-8 and IL-10.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline neurocognitive performance at 3 months
Description
Neurocognitive performance will be assessed using Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Finger-Tapping Test (FTT) and Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST).
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline social cognitive function at 3 months
Description
Mayer-Salovey-Caruso emotional Intelligent Test (MSCEIT): four branches: perceiving emotion (consisting of two tasks: face and picture tasks), facilitating emotion, understanding emotion, and managing emotion (Mayer, Salovey, Caruso, & Sitarenios, 2003). The results will be scaled to a standard score based on the weight from the representative adult population (regarding age, gender, and ethnicity) in an extremely large sample of people (5,000). The reliability and validity of MSCEIT V2.0 have been proved before.
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 12
Title
Change from baseline autonomic nervous system performance at several timepoints within 3 months
Description
Cardiac autonomic function will be calculated by the geometric method, which is based on short-term measurements of the interbeat interval (IBI) [82]. Power spectral density analysis of HRV will be performed by fast Fourier transformation [83].
Time Frame
Week 0, Week 4, Week 12

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
20 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
70 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: (1)Signed informed consent by patient or legal representative; (2) male or female patient aged ≧20 and ≦70 years; (3) a diagnosis of MDD or BD according to DSM criteria made by a specialist in psychiatry; (4) a total score of at least 18 in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS) at the screening stage; (5) patient or a reliable caregiver can be expected to ensure acceptable compliance and visit attendance for the duration of the study. Exclusion Criteria: (1) women of childbearing potential, not using adequate contraception as per investigator judgment or not willing to comply with contraception for the duration of the study; (2) females who are pregnant or breast-feeding; (3) other major DSM 5 diagnoses other than mood disorders, except for tobacco use disorder and anxiety disorder; (4) current evidence of an uncontrolled and/or clinically significant medical condition, e.g. patients with extensive area of ischemic bruise, multiple sclerosis, cardiac, hepatic and renal failure that would compromise patient safety or preclude study participation; (5) history of seizure or epilepsy; (6) history of neurological diseases or traumatic brain injury; (7) history of brain lesion, having received neurosurgery, meningitis or encephalitis; (8) exacerbation of symptom severity, presenting severe suicidal ideation or self harm behavior during the screen or study period; (9) presence of devices, e.g. pacemakers, cochlear prosthesis, neuro-stimulators, magnetic cochlear prosthesis, intracranial/intraocular metallic fragments; (10) patient has received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within 3 months prior to the first intervention of the treatment; (11) skin lesion at local site receiving rTMS stimulation; (12) those who cannot tolerate the side effects or ever developed sleep disorder while receiving rTMS therapy.
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Po See Chen, MD, PhD
Phone
06-2353535
Ext
5194
Email
chenps@mail.ncku.edu.tw
Facility Information:
Facility Name
National Cheng-Kung University
City
Tainan
ZIP/Postal Code
704
Country
Taiwan
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Po See Chen, MD, PhD
Phone
886-6-2353535
Ext
5189
Email
chenps@mail.ncku.edu.tw

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Learn more about this trial

Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Normalizes Dopaminergic Transmission in the Frontostriatal Circuit to Alleviate Depression With Metabolic Disorders.

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