RecruitingNot Applicable

Disruptions of Brain Networks and Sleep by Electroconvulsive Therapy

United States50 participantsStarted 2023-03-07

Plain-language summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) alleviates treatment-resistant depression (TRD) through repeated generalized seizures. The goal of this study is to evaluate how ECT impacts sleep-wake regulation and efficiency of information transfer in functional networks in different states of arousal.

Who can participate

Age range

21 Years – 65 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Referral for initial ECT index course for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), unipolar major depressive disorder or bipolar depression. Historic failure of response or remission to at least two antidepressant medications of sufficient dose and duration will be used for TRD diagnostic. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. * Subjects who are unable to tolerate the Dreem device for sleep recordings will be excluded from the study.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Slow wave activity (SWA) during non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) stage N2/N3

Timeframe: Up to 4 weeks during patients ECT treatment course

Graph-based neural connectivity measure of local efficiency of information transfer (Elocal) during wakefulness

Timeframe: Up to 4 weeks during patients ECT treatment course

Graph-based neural connectivity measure of global information transfer (Eglobal) during ECT-induced seizure

Timeframe: Up to 4 weeks during patients ECT treatment course

Trial details

NCT IDNCT05905705

SponsorWashington University School of Medicine

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2027-07-31

Contact for this trial

Robby Greenspan

314-273-6129 greenspan@wustl.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Treatment Resistant Depression trials

Who can participate

Age range

21 Years – 65 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

What they're measuring

Slow wave activity (SWA) during non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) stage N2/N3

Timeframe: Up to 4 weeks during patients ECT treatment course

Graph-based neural connectivity measure of local efficiency of information transfer (Elocal) during wakefulness

Timeframe: Up to 4 weeks during patients ECT treatment course

Graph-based neural connectivity measure of global information transfer (Eglobal) during ECT-induced seizure

Timeframe: Up to 4 weeks during patients ECT treatment course