Brain wave test could spot stubborn depression
NCT ID NCT04456868
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study aimed to find brain and movement markers in people with a type of depression that doesn't respond to standard antidepressants, called anhedonic depression. Researchers measured brain waves (P300), walking speed, and hand movements in 36 participants. The goal was to identify a specific pattern that could help doctors choose more effective treatments earlier.
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 help doctors identify a specific type of depression that doesn't respond to standard antidepressants, leading to earlier, more personalized treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This was a small, early-stage study that was terminated, so results are limited. The findings may not apply to all people with depression.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Aug 2020
- Finished
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Aug 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy volunteers: * Person who is ≥ 18 years old and ≤ 70 years old * Subject without neurological history * Subject without psychiatric history in the semi-structured interview Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). * Subject having read and understood the newsletter and signed the consent form * Subject affiliated to a social security scheme. * Subject capable of understanding spoken and written French. * Woman of reproductive age with effective contraception as defined by the WHO, for at least three months or postmenopausal. Patients with drug-resistant bipolar anhedonic depression: * Patient whose age is ≥ 18 years and ≤ 70 years. * Patient with depression meeting DSM-5 criteria (Appendix 4) evolving in the context of bipolar disorder. * Patient with a resistance level greater than or equal to 1 according to the Pacchiarotti classification. * Patient with an SHAPS anhedonia score greater than 5/14. * Patient with no other psychiatric pathology in the semi-structured interview Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). * Stable lithium treatment in the 7 days preceding the inclusion visit. * Patient who has not received treatment with electroconvulsive therapy in the 2 months preceding the inclusion visit. * Patient having a normal neurological examination. * Patient who has read and understood the information letter and signed the consent form. * Patient affiliated to a social security scheme. * Patient able to understand spoken and written French. * Woman of reproductive age with effective contraception as defined by the WHO, for at least three months or postmenopausal.Patient dont l'âge est ≥ 18 ans et ≤ 70 ans. Patients with drug-resistant bipolar depression of the non-anhedonic type: * Patient whose age is ≥ 18 years and ≤ 70 years. * Presence of a depression meeting the criteria of DSM-5 (Annex 4) evolving in the context of bipolar disorder. * Patient with a resistance level greater than or equal to 1 according to the Pacchiarotti classification. * Patient with SHAPS anhedonia score less than or equal to 3/14. * Absence of another psychiatric pathology in the semi-structured interview Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). * Stable lithium treatment in the 7 days preceding the inclusion visit. * Patient who has not received treatment with electroconvulsive therapy in the 2 months preceding the inclusion visit. * Patient having a normal neurological examination. * Patient who has read and understood the information letter and signed the consent form. * Patient affiliated to a social security scheme. * Patient able to understand spoken and written French. * Woman of reproductive age with effective contraception as defined by the WHO, for at least three months. Patients with Parkinson's disease : * Patient whose age is ≥ 18 years and ≤ 70 years. * Patient with idiopathic Parkinson's disease as defined by the diagnostic criteria of the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank (UKPDSBB) (Annex 8). * Patient with Parkinson's disease stage less than 3 (mild or moderate severity) according to the classification of Hoehn \& Yahr (Annex 7). * Patient treated with L-DOPA associated with a dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor (DDC) and who has not changed antiparkinsonian treatment for at least 1 month before the inclusion visit. * Patient with no neurological disorders other than those induced by Parkinson's disease. * Patient without depression defined by a score less than or equal to 8 on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (Annex 10). * Patient with no psychiatric pathology at the semi-structured interview Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) (Annex 9). * Patient who has read and understood the information letter and signed the consent form. * Patient affiliated to a social security scheme. * Patient able to understand spoken and written French. * Woman of childbearing age with effective contraception as defined by the WHO, for at least three months. Exclusion Criteria: * Healthy volunteers: * Person with a psychiatric disorder in the semi-structured interview Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) (Annex 9). * Person deprived of their liberty by an administrative or judicial decision or person placed under the protection of justice / sub-tutorship or curatorship. * Subjects with poor understanding of spoken or written French * Existence of a neurological, rheumatological, orthopedic or psychiatric history, presence of a severe progressive pathology which can modify brain activity or gait parameters. * Woman of childbearing age not taking effective contraception according to the WHO definition (estrogen-progestogens or intrauterine device or tubal ligation), pregnant (positive urine pregnancy test) or breastfeeding. * Taking unauthorized treatment during the study and: * In the 7 days preceding inclusion for dopamine agonists, MAOIs, antiepileptics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and L-DOPA combined with a dopa decarboxylase (DDC) or catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor (COMT). * In the 28 days preceding inclusion for amphetamines, antivirals, antiemetics. * In the 2 months preceding inclusion for electroconvulsive therapy * In the 6 months prior to inclusion for antipsychotics. * Dependence on a substance other than nicotine. Patients with drug-resistant bipolar anhedonic depression: * Patient with depression with psychotic characteristics. * Patient deprived of liberty by an administrative or judicial decision or person placed under the protection of justice / sub-tutorship or curatorship. * Subjects with poor understanding of spoken or written French * Patient with SHAPS anhedonia score less than or equal to 5/14 (Annex 2). * Patient with a neurological, rheumatological, orthopedic or psychiatric history, presence of a severe progressive pathology which can modify brain activity or gait parameters. * Woman of childbearing age not taking effective contraception according to the WHO definition (estrogen-progestogens or intrauterine device or tubal ligation), pregnant (positive urine pregnancy test) or breastfeeding. * Subject with a history of allergy or hypersensitivity to the active substance in DOPACIS (18Fluorodopa) or to any of its excipients. * Taking unauthorized treatment during the study and: * In the 7 days preceding inclusion for dopamine agonists, MAOIs, antiepileptics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and L-DOPA combined with a dopa decarboxylase (DDC) or catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor (COMT). * In the 28 days preceding inclusion for amphetamines, antivirals, antiemetics. * In the 2 months preceding inclusion for electroconvulsive therapy * In the 6 months prior to inclusion for antipsychotics. * Dependence on a substance other than nicotine. Patients with drug-resistant bipolar depression of the non-anhedonic type: * Pa Patient with depression with psychotic characteristics. * Patient deprived of liberty by an administrative or judicial decision or person placed under the protection of justice / sub-tutorship or curatorship. * Subjects with poor understanding of spoken or written French * Patient with SHAPS anhedonia score less than or equal to 5/14 (Annex 2). * Patient with a neurological, rheumatological, orthopedic or psychiatric history, presence of a severe progressive pathology which can modify brain activity or gait parameters. * Woman of childbearing age not taking effective contraception according to the WHO definition (estrogen-progestogens or intrauterine device or tubal ligation), pregnant (positive urine pregnancy test) or breastfeeding. * Subject with a history of allergy or hypersensitivity to the active substance in DOPACIS (18Fluorodopa) or to any of its excipients. * Taking unauthorized treatment during the study and: * In the 7 days preceding inclusion for dopamine agonists, MAOIs, antiepileptics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and L-DOPA combined with a dopa decarboxylase (DDC) or catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor (COMT). * In the 28 days preceding inclusion for amphetamines, antivirals, antiemetics. * In the 2 months preceding inclusion for electroconvulsive therapy * In the 6 months prior to inclusion for antipsychotics. * Dependence on a substance other than nicotine. Patients with Parkinson's disease: * Patient with depression. * Patient deprived of liberty by an administrative or judicial decision or person placed under the protection of justice / sub-tutorship or curatorship. * Subjects with poor understanding of spoken or written French * Severe form of Parkinson's disease with a Hoehn and Yhar upper or equal 4 (Annex 7). * Patient with other neurological, rheumatological, orthopedic or psychiatric history, presence of a severe progressive pathology which can modify brain activity or gait parameters. * Woman of childbearing age not taking effective contraception according to the WHO definition (estrogen-progestogens or intrauterine device or tubal ligation), pregnant (positive urine pregnancy test) or breastfeeding. * Subject with a history of allergy or hypersensitivity to the active substance in DOPACIS (18Fluorodopa) or to any of its excipients. * Taking unauthorized treatment during the study and: * In the 7 days preceding inclusion for dopamine agonists, MAOIs, antiepileptics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and L-DOPA combined with a dopa decarboxylase (DDC) or catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor (COMT). * In the 28 days preceding inclusion for amphetamines, antivirals, antiemetics. * In the 2 months preceding inclusion for electroconvulsive therapy * In the 6 months prior to inclusion for antipsychotics. * Dependence on a substance other than nicotine.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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CHSR du Rouvray
Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, France
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Rouen University Hospital
Rouen, France
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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