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Electroconvulsive Therapy / Catatonia / Depression Major Depressive Disorder · Interventional Study
ClinicalTrials.gov · September 4, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This is a planned interventional study registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07561307) that aims to optimize electroconvulsive therapy stimulation parameters by monitoring real-time brain physiology (hemodynamics and EEG measures, including cortical spreading depolarization) during standard treatment. No results have been posted to the registry, and the study is not yet recruiting; it is designed to answer mechanistic questions about how different pulse settings affect brain response, using surrogate neurophysiological endpoints rather than clinical outcomes.
Interventional, Randomized, Parallel, Double masking, Treatment purpose. Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Catatonia. Intervention: Index: Frequency-then-duration; Index: Duration then Frequency; Maintenance. Compared with: Index: Standard titration table — Active Comparator. n = 64. 1 site: United States.
This is a planned interventional study registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07561307) that aims to optimize electroconvulsive therapy stimulation parameters by monitoring real-time brain physiology (hemodynamics and EEG measures, including cortical spreading depolarization) during standard treatment. No results have been posted to the registry, and the study is not yet recruiting; it is designed to answer mechanistic questions about how different pulse settings affect brain response, using surrogate neurophysiological endpoints rather than clinical outcomes.
Primary outcomes are neurophysiological surrogates; clinical outcomes (symptom change, remission, safety) are not listed as primary endpoints.
This mechanistic study is not designed to demonstrate clinical efficacy or superiority of ECT, but rather to characterize the neurophysiological basis of stimulation parameter optimization. Results, when posted, may inform future protocols for individualizing ECT dose titration, but cannot guide current clinical practice without concurrent evidence of clinical benefit.
This is an active trial registration with no posted results; it describes a planned mechanistic study of ECT stimulation parameters using surrogate neurophysiological endpoints (brain hemodynamics, EEG measures) in a small sample, designed to optimize treatment delivery rather than test efficacy.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
This mechanistic study is not designed to demonstrate clinical efficacy or superiority of ECT, but rather to characterize the neurophysiological basis of stimulation parameter optimization. Results, when posted, may inform future protocols for individualizing ECT dose titration, but cannot guide current clinical practice without concurrent evidence of clinical benefit.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
What is missing. This record has no key findings. That is a gap in the analysis, not a judgement about the study.
Registry record from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07561307). This is a study registration, not published results. Lead sponsor: University of Pennsylvania. Recruitment status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING. Phase: NA. Study type: INTERVENTIONAL. Enrollment: 64 participants (ESTIMATED). Conditions: Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Catatonia. Interventions: PROCEDURE: Electroconvulsive Therapy. Primary outcome measures: Brain hemodynamics , Periprocedural (10-20 minutes per ECT session). Assessed repeatedly over approximately 12 ECT sessions for index arm patients (3 times/week for 4-6 weeks), or for 8 sessions (once a month for 8 months) in the maintenance arm.; Electroencephalography - Seizure Duration , Periprocedural (10-20 minutes per ECT session). Assessed repeatedly over approximately 12 ECT sessions for index arm patients (3 times/week for 4-6 weeks), or for 8 sessions (once a month for 8 months) in the maintenance arm.; Electroencephalography - theta band power , Periprocedural (10-20 minutes per ECT session). Assessed repeatedly over approximately 12 ECT sessions for index arm patients (3 times/week for 4-6 weeks), or for 8 sessions (once a month for 8 months) in the maintenance arm.; Electroencephalography - Brain Symmetry Index , Periprocedural (10-20 minutes per ECT session). Assessed repeatedly over approximately 12 ECT sessions for index arm patients (3 times/week for 4-6 weeks), or for 8 sessions (once a month for 8 months) in the maintenance arm.. Brief summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to improve how electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) stimulation settings are chosen. Researchers will use real-time brain monitoring to measure both seizures and a recently identified brain event called cortical spreading depolarization (CSD). The main questions it aims to answer are: What is the best way to increase ECT stimulation settings? How do different pulse settings affect the brain's response? Can certain settings produce CSD without causing a seizure? Participants already receiving ECT as part of their care will take part. They will be assigned to one of two groups: Index ECT group: Participants starting ECT will receive different standard titration approaches. Maintenance ECT group: Participants receiving ongoing ECT will undergo a brief, low-dose stimulation test before treatment. All participants will be monitored using brain physiology (EEG and blood flow) and symptom scales during treatment.
Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.