Actively Recruiting
Mindfulness-Based fMRI Neurofeedback for Depression
Led by Columbia University · Updated on 2026-04-29
90
Participants Needed
2
Research Sites
168 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
C
Columbia University
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
In the United States, adolescents experience alarmingly high rates of major depression, and gold-standard treatments are only effective for approximately half of patients. Rumination may be a promising treatment target, as it is well-characterized at the neural level and contributes to depression onset, maintenance, and recurrence as well as predicts treatment non-response. Accordingly, the proposed research will investigate whether an innovative mindfulness-based real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback intervention successfully elicits change in the brain circuit underlying rumination to improve clinical outcomes among depressed adolescents.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Mindfulness-Based fMRI Neurofeedback for Depression
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Ages 13-18 years-old
- Written informed assent/consent and parental/guardian permission for 13-17 year-olds or informed consent for 18 year-olds
- Tanner puberty stage 653
- Meets current diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD)
- English fluency
You will not qualify if you...
- Lifetime history of primary psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, developmental disorder (e.g., autism), post-traumatic stress disorder, or eating disorders
- Moderate or severe substance use disorder in past 6 months
- Active suicidal ideation with a specific plan
- History of seizure disorder
- Medical or neurological illness (e.g., severe head injury)
- MRI contraindications
- Current psychotropic medication use other than antidepressant medication
- Intelligence quotient (IQ) <80
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 2 locations
1
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
Actively Recruiting
2
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, United States, 10032
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
R
Randy P Auerbach, PhD
CONTACT
S
Simryn Molina, BA
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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