FMRI Study of Performance During a Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task in Depression
Data Collection
Mental Disorders+3
+ Behavioral Symptoms
+ Depression
Summary
Study start date: January 5, 2004
Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.When depressed subjects perceive they have failed while performing a neuropsychological task their performance on subsequent trials becomes impaired. Elliott et al. showed that MDD subjects were far more likely to fail on subsequent tasks after failure on one task than controls. This effect has been described as an "abnormal response' to negative feedback or a 'catastrophic response to perceived failure.' Murphy et al. investigated this further using a probabilistic reversal learning task in which subjects were faced with occasional negative feedback that was actually false. On each trial of the task subjects choose one of two stimuli on screen, one considered correct and the other incorrect, this is followed by feedback. Instructions prior to starting the task inform the subject that sometimes the rule will change and the previously correct stimulus will be incorrect, but sometimes the computer will give them incorrect feedback. They are instructed to switch responding only when they are sure the rule has actually changed. MDD subjects demonstrate intact acquisition and reversal of probabilistic learning but are impaired in their ability to maintain a response in the face of misleading negative feedback. This profile of impairment may be relatively specific to MDD as, for example, it is not found in subjects with other neuropsychiatric conditions. This 'abnormal response' to negative feedback may represent a significant link between negative affect and cognitive impairments in depression. During the proposed study functional magnetic resonance images will be acquired while subjects perform a version of the probabilistic reversal learning task. Four groups will take part: MDD, bipolar depressed, unmedicated MDD in remission and healthy control subjects. These images will be used to investigate differences in neural activation between the four groups, to clarify whether this specific profile of behavioral response extends to bipolar depressed subjects and to assess the mood state dependences of this effect. This would increase understanding of the specific profile of performance on this task and neural basis of this abnormal response to negative feedback that contributes to impairment of cognitive performance in depression.
Protocol
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.100 patients to be enrolled
Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.Eligibility
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.Any sex
Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.From 18 to 50 Years
Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.Healthy volunteers allowed
If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.Conditions
Pathology
Criteria
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: All subjects will be between 18 and 50 years old. Male and female subjects will be included. All subjects must be able to give written informed consent prior to participation in this study. MDD Depressed Sample: Twenty five subjects (ages 18-50) male and female will be selected, with primary MDD currently depressed as defined by DSM-IV criteria for recurrent MDD, in a current major depressive episode and who have a first degree relative with MDD but no first degree relatives with mania, alcoholism, or antisocial personality disorder. MDD Remission Sample: Twenty subjects (ages 18-50) male and female will be selected. Remission is defined as a period of at least three months during which the subject has not taken an antidepressant agent, with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS; 21-item; Hamilton 1960) scores in the non-depressed range (less than 8), and with no more than one clinically significant depressive symptom. Bipolar Depressed Sample: Twenty five subjects (ages 18-50) male and female will be selected who meet DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I or II disorder and are currently in a depressed phase. Healthy Control Sample: Thirty subjects (ages 18-50) male and female who have not met criteria for any major psychiatric disorder will be selected. From this large sample a control subject will be matched to each depressed subject for age, gender, handedness and IQ. The control subjects will have no known first degree relatives with mood disorders. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Individuals with any major medical or neurological disorder or who have received psychotropic drugs or medication likely to influence cerebral blood flow or metabolism within 3 weeks (8 weeks for fluoxetine \[Prozac\]), of scanning. Bipolar subjects with rapid cycling or with current psychosis will be excluded from the protocol. Effective treatment will not be discontinued for the purposes of this protocol, subjects will be identified who have never been treated or who have discontinued medication due to lack of efficacy, noncompliance, physician order or other reasons prior to study entry. Individuals who meet DSM-IV criteria for alcohol and/or substance abuse within 1 year prior to screening or lifetime history of substance dependence. Women of childbearing potential who are known to be pregnant or who have a positive pregnancy test. Individuals who have experienced serious suicidal ideation within the past 2 months. General exclusions for MRI imaging, such as having had a cardiac pacemaker or ferromagnetic object implanted through surgical intervention or accident (for example: shrapnel).
Study Centers
These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.This study has 1 location
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, United StatesSee the location