|

Exploring the Role of the Prefrontal Cortex in Decision-Making

RECRUITINGN/ASponsored by University of Bern
Actively Recruiting
PhaseN/A
SponsorUniversity of Bern
Started2025-03-04
Est. completion2027-07
Eligibility
Age20 Years – 75 Years
Healthy vol.Accepted
View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

NCT07080489

Summary

The goal of this study is to examine whether high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) can influence decision-making for emotionally valenced content in younger and older adults, with or without major depression. The main questions are: In healthy adults, does brain stimulation modulate how people respond to emotionally valenced content during a decision-making task? What happens in the brain during modulation? Do these effects differ between younger and older adults? In adults with depression, does brain stimulation help shift attention towards positive content during the task? What happens in the brain? Are these effects moderated by age (younger vs. older adults)? The investigators will compare participants who receive real stimulation to those who receive sham (placebo) stimulation. Participants will: Receive high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) Perform a decision-making task involving emotionally valenced words Complete the task while undergoing a brain scan using ultra-high field 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain activity

Eligibility

Age: 20 Years – 75 YearsHealthy volunteers accepted
Inclusion Criteria (Healthy):

* Written Informed Consent
* Age between 20-40 or 60-75 years
* Fluent in German
* Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
* No color blindness
* Right-handed
* Non-smoker

Exclusion Criteria (Healthy):

* History of neurological disorders
* History of psychiatric disorders
* Use of psychotropic medication
* Presence of magnetizable implants
* Alcohol or drug dependence

Inclusion Criteria (Patient):

* Written Informed Consent
* Diagnosed with mild to moderate depression
* Age between 20-40 or 60-75 years
* Fluent in German
* Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
* No color blindness

Exclusion Criteria (Patient):

* Intake of benzodiazepines or antipsychotic medication
* psychiatric disorders other than depression (e.g., psychosis, mania, personality disorders) or depression with organic cause
* Presence of magnetizable implants
* Alcohol or drug dependence

Conditions4

AgingDepressionDepressive Disorder, Major Depressive DisorderHealthy Volunteer

Browse More Trials

Depression trials

Trial data from ClinicalTrials.gov. Trial status and eligibility can change — verify directly with the study contact or on ClinicalTrials.gov.

This site does not provide medical advice. Always consult your doctor before considering enrollment in a clinical trial. Learn more on our About page.