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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04105868

Adolescent Attention to Emotion Study

Rates of depression increase rapidly during adolescence, especially for girls, and, thus, research is needed to spur the development of novel interventions to prevent adolescent depression. This project seeks to determine if a novel visuocortical probe of affect-biased attention (i.e., steady-state visual evoked potentials derived from EEG) can 1) be used to prospectively predict depression using a multi-wave repeated measures design and 2) modify affect-biased attention and buffer subsequent mood reactivity using real time neurofeedback. This work could ultimately lead to improved identification of adolescents who are at high risk for depression and directly inform the development of mechanistic treatment targets to be used in personalized intervention prescriptions for high-risk youth.

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Key information

Conditions

Depression Behavior Behavioral Symptoms

Age range

13 year–15 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants will include 90 female adolescents ages 13 years 0 months through 15 years 11 months at study entry.

Exclusion criteria

  • Lifetime history of any Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 5 depressive disorder
  • Lifetime history of taking antidepressants [e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs)]
  • Lifetime history of a DSM 5 psychotic, bipolar, or autistic spectrum disorder.
  • Presence of EEG contraindications (e.g., personal lifetime history of seizures or family history of hereditary epilepsy).
  • Being pre-pubertal
  • Lifetime history of a neurological or serious medical condition.
  • Lifetime history of head injury or congenital neurological anomalies (based on parent report).
  • Intelligence quotient (IQ) less than 80, as assessed using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI).
  • Uncorrected visual disturbance
  • Being acutely suicidal or at risk for harm to self or others.

Treatment and study plan

Neurofeedback

Other

Participants will receive feedback during a computerized task that is based on their own visuocortical activity evoked by attention to negative distractors and task-relevant stimuli on the computer screen.

Primary outcomes

  1. Affect-biased Attention Following Neurofeedback (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Time frame: Approximately 1 hour total: baseline assessment immediately before neurofeedback and post-neurofeedback assessment immediately after the ~1 hour training session on the same day.

    To measure affect-biased attention, steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) were derived from EEG and used to index the amount of stimulus-driven attention to negative distractors relative to task-relevant stimuli. Affect-biased attention was assessed immediately before and immediately after the real-time SSVEP neurofeedback training to evaluate changes within the same session. The outcome below reflects the post-neurofeedback SSVEP competition index (Task / [Task + Distractor]). Scores above .50 indicate greater attention to the task stimulus.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Sadness Ratings Following Laboratory Stressor (Immediately Post-Stressor)

    Time frame: Approximately 30 minutes total: baseline sadness rating immediately before and post-stressor rating immediately after the ~30-minute laboratory stressor on the same day.

    Participants completed a laboratory stressor following real-time SSVEP neurofeedback training to assess how well the intervention buffered sadness reactivity. State sadness was assessed immediately before and immediately after the stressor using a 100-millimeter visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from "neutral" to "very sad." Higher scores indicate greater sadness. The value reported below reflects the post-stressor rating.

  2. Anxiety Rating Following Laboratory Stressor (Immediately Post-Stressor)

    Time frame: Baseline and following laboratory stressor (~30 minutes)

    Participants completed a laboratory stressor following real-time SSVEP neurofeedback training to assess how well the intervention buffered sadness reactivity. State anxiety was assessed immediately before and immediately after the stressor using a 100-millimeter visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from "neutral" to "very anxious." Higher scores indicate greater anxiety. The value reported below reflects the post-stressor rating.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pittsburgh

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Registry information

Official study title

Visuocortical Dynamics of Affect-Biased Attention in the Development of Adolescent Depression

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2025
First posted
Sep 26, 2019
Registry last updated
Nov 13, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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