Brain zaps may work better with hormones in mind
NCT ID NCT07635017
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at how two types of non-invasive brain stimulation affect brain activity, and whether using them together works better than alone. The goal is to understand why brain stimulation for depression is less effective in women after menopause, possibly due to lower estrogen. 25 healthy adults aged 18-40 will attend up to 24 sessions over 8 months, with female participants scheduled at specific points in their menstrual cycle to track hormone changes.
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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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About 25 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jul 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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 40 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 18 and 40 years old * Female subjects must have regular menstrual cycles (defined as a cycle that occurs at predictable intervals, typically between 24 and 38-days length) via self-report Exclusion Criteria: * Allergies to henna * Allergies to gel used for electrodes * History of seizures or epilepsy * Subjects must not have any serious disease, disorder, infection, or cognitive impairments that could affect their ability to participate in this study. * Female subjects of child-bearing potential must not be pregnant * Subjects must not have any implanted stimulators or pulse generators * Subjects must not have heart disease, including known arrhythmia * Subjects must not have any metal implants in their head
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States
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