VR task reveals how depression drains motivation

NCT ID NCT06648460

Not yet recruiting Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Georgia Institute of Technology Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study uses a virtual reality task to measure how people with depression make decisions involving physical effort and reward. Participants will walk on a treadmill in a VR environment while researchers track brain activity, heart rate, and energy use. The goal is to better understand why depression makes it hard to put in effort, which could lead to improved ways to assess and treat motivation problems.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to better ways to measure and understand motivation problems in depression, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment approaches.
What could go wrong: This is an early observational study with only 90 participants, so results may not apply to everyone with depression. It measures behavior and brain activity, not a treatment, so direct benefits are limited.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Anhedonia Depression depressive disorder major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANHEDONIA DEPRESSION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute

Atlanta, Georgia, 30308, United States

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