Adolescent Attention to Emotion Study

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Rates of depression increase rapidly during adolescence, especially for girls, and, thus, research is needed to spur the development of novel interventions to prevent adolescent depression. This project seeks to determine if a novel visuocortical probe of affect-biased attention (i.e., steady-state visual evoked potentials derived from EEG) can 1) be used to prospectively predict depression using a multi-wave repeated measures design and 2) modify affect-biased attention and buffer subsequent mood reactivity using real time neurofeedback. This work could ultimately lead to improved identification of adolescents who are at high risk for depression and directly inform the development of mechanistic treatment targets to be used in personalized intervention prescriptions for high-risk youth.

Official Title
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Visuocortical Dynamics of Affect-Biased Attention in the Development of Adolescent Depression

Conditions
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Depression

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Neurofeedback


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Participants will include 90 female adolescents ages 13 years 0 months through 15 years 11 months at study entry. Exclusion Criteria: Lifetime history of any DSM 5 depressive disorder Lifetime history of taking antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs) Lifetime history of a DSM 5 psychotic, bipolar, or autistic spectrum disorder. Presence of EEG contraindications (e.g., personal lifetime history of seizures or family history of hereditary epilepsy). Being pre-pubertal Lifetime history of a neurological or serious medical condition. Lifetime history of head injury or congenital neurological anomalies (based on parent report). IQ less than 80, as assessed using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Uncorrected visual disturbance Being acutely suicidal or at risk for harm to self or others.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 13 Years
Maximum Age: 15 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Neurofeedback<br>Participants will receive feedback about their attention to negative distractors during each trial using activity from their brain waves, which will help them reduce their attention to distractors. | Other: Neurofeedback<br>* Participants will receive feedback during a computerized task that is based on their own visuocortical activity evoked by attention to negative distractors and task-relevant stimuli on the computer screen.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline in affect-biased attention subsequently following neurofeedback ( 1 hour) | To measure affect-biased attention, steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) will be derived from EEG and will be used to index the amount of stimulus-driven attention to the negative distractors relative to goal-directed attention toward task-relevant stimuli. Larger SSVEPs indicate more attention to that stimulus. Affect-biased attention will be measured both before and after the real time SSVEP neurofeedback training to assess changes in affect-biased attention pre- to post-intervention. | Baseline and following neurofeedback ( 1 hour) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline in sadness after laboratory stressor, which follows neurofeedback | Participants will complete a laboratory stressor following real time SSVEP neurofeedback training to assess how well it buffers sadness reactivity. To assess sadness reactivity, girls will report state sadness before and after the stressor using Visual Analog Scales. Participants will mark how they are feeling between neutral to very sad on a scale measuring 100 millimeters, with higher scores indicating greater state sadness. | Baseline and following laboratory stressor ( 30 minutes) | 
| Change from baseline in anxiety after laboratory stressor, which follows neurofeedback | Participants will complete a laboratory stressor following real time SSVEP neurofeedback training to assess how well it buffers anxiety reactivity. To assess anxiety reactivity, girls will report state anxiety before and after the stressor using Visual Analog Scales.Participants will mark how they are feeling between neutral to very anxious on a scale measuring 100 millimeters, with higher scores indicating greater state anxiety. | Baseline and following laboratory stressor ( 30 minutes) |