Gut feeling: can a stomach hormone boost motivation in depression?

NCT ID NCT06576440

First seen Jan 10, 2026 · Last updated May 15, 2026 · Updated 22 times

Summary

This study looked at how ghrelin, a hormone made in the stomach that signals hunger, affects motivation, energy use, and mood. Researchers gave ghrelin or a placebo to 24 people—some with depression and some healthy—and measured their willingness to work for food or money rewards. The goal was to understand if ghrelin can increase effort and improve mood, especially in people with depression.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen

    Tübingen, Baden-Wurttemberg, 72076, Germany

Conditions

Explore the condition pages connected to this study.