Complete brain scans and blood tests to help predict electroconvulsive therapy response

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What is this trial?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a proven treatment for severe depression that hasn't responded to medications, but doctors can't yet predict which patients will benefit most from it. This study uses advanced brain imaging and blood tests before and after ECT to identify biological markers that could help predict treatment success. By understanding how the brain changes during ECT, researchers hope to eventually personalize this treatment and make it more effective.

Although electroconvulsive therapy has successfully treated depression for over 80 years, doctors don't yet have objective ways to know in advance which patients will respond well to the treatment. This study aims to find biological 'fingerprints' in the brain and blood that could predict who will benefit, so treatment can be better tailored to individual patients.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 18 and 65 years old
you have been diagnosed with severe depression that hasn't improved with antidepressant medications
you are medically approved to receive electroconvulsive therapy
you have been on stable antidepressant or antipsychotic medications for at least 10 days
you are able to understand and sign an informed consent form

You likely don't qualify if…

you have a serious medical or neurological condition
you have bipolar depression, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder
you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a positive pregnancy test
you have a history of substance abuse or currently misuse alcohol or drugs
you have a medical implant or metal graft that would make magnetic resonance imaging unsafe

What participation looks like

You would visit the research center for about 4 weeks during your electroconvulsive therapy treatment course, which involves at least 8 sessions. Before your first ECT session and after your final session, you'll have two advanced brain scans (using a special MRI machine) that take about an hour each. You'll also have blood drawn and a spinal fluid sample collected before and after the treatment course, along with standard depression assessments. The entire study lasts up to 3 years for follow-up, though your most intensive participation is during those 4 weeks of ECT.

Finding Brain Markers to Predict Electroconvulsive Therapy Success

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)