A Phase 2 interventional study of Baricitinib and Placebo in HIV, Depression and Anhedonia, sponsored by Emory University. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-28.
Sponsored by Emory University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this 10-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is to determine whether inflammation impacts reward and motor neural circuitry to contribute to depressive symptoms like anhedonia and psychomotor slowing in people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and depression. Sixty male and female patients with HIV who have depression, anhedonia and high inflammation and are stable on effective treatment for their HIV will be randomized to receive either the anti-inflammatory drug baricitinib or a placebo for 10 weeks. Participants will complete lab tests, medical and psychiatric assessments, neurocognitive testing, functional MRI (fMRI) scans, and optional spinal taps as part of the study.
Risk of depression is substantially higher in people with HIV (PWH) than the general population, and depression in PWH confers worse outcomes regarding treatment adherence, morbidity, and mortality. Increased inflammation is one biological pathway that is linked to greater risk for depression in PWH and limits options for effective antidepressant therapy. Chronically elevated inflammation is associated with impairments within reward and motor neural circuits that contribute to symptoms of anhedonia (an inability to experience pleasure) and psychomotor slowing, which are overrepresented in PWH. The purpose of this 10-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is to provide mechanistic information on whether inflammation impacts corticostriatal reward and motor circuitry to contribute to anhedonia and psychomotor slowing in PWH with depression using the anti-inflammatory drug baricitinib.
This study will utilize an FDA-approved medication, baricitinib, to establish whether the effects of inflammation on reward and motor circuits are a mechanism of anhedonia and motor slowing in PWH with depression, while advancing avenues for new therapies.
Sixty male and female patients with HIV who have depression and high inflammation and are stable on effective treatment for their HIV will be randomized to receive either baricitinib or a placebo for 10 weeks. Participants will complete lab tests, medical and psychiatric assessments, neurocognitive testing, functional MRI (fMRI) scans, and optional spinal taps as part of the study.
8,577 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,720 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is below the median of 81 across 7,063 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Emory University is the lead sponsor of 1,405 studies on the registry; 225 are open to participants now.
Of its 237 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 178 (75%) have results posted.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Having taken the following medications within the past 6 months:
Cardiovascular disease:
Positive test for virus (HBV) defined as:
Any of the following specific abnormalities on screening laboratory tests:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
DSM diagnostic criteria
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)
The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis C tests
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Bilirubin
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will be randomized to receive 10 weeks of treatment with baricitinib.
Drug: Baricitinib
Participants will be randomized to receive 10 weeks of treatment with placebo.
Other: Placebo
Patients will receive baricitinib at a dose of 2 mg oral daily.
Also known as: Olumiant
A placebo is a sugar pill that has no therapeutic effect and will be administered orally. Participants will receive 1 placebo tablet matching the baricitinib tablet.
Change in corticostriatal functional connectivity (FC) in reward circuit
Patients will undergo resting-state and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to calculate functional connectivity (FC) between the ventral striatum (VS) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). FC is measured as continuous Z scores reflecting the correlation of activity between the brain regions. Higher FC Z scores reflect stronger connectivity.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10 after study medication
Change in Effort Expenditure for Reward Task (EEfRT) Score
The EEfRT is a widely used, multi-trial task measuring motivation for rewards as an assessment of anhedonia, as anhedonia is specifically associated with decreased motivation for rewards. For each task participants repeatedly press a button to raise a "bar" on a screen. Before each task participants choose between between receiving a "hard task" (using the non-dominant little finger) for a larger reward or an "easy task" (using the dominant index finger) for a smaller reward. The EEfRT is reported as the proportion of "hard task" trials that participants select. Possible scores range between 0 to 1 with higher scores indicating greater motivation, which in turn is an indication for lower anhedonia.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10
Change in Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale-Self Report (SHAPS-SR) Score
The Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale-Self Report (SHAPS-SR), a 14-item self-report scale with high psychometric validity for assessing the presence of anhedonia, is used to assess hedonic capacity. Participants rate how much they agree or disagree with 14 items phrased as "I would enjoy \_\_" based on their ability to experience pleasure. Of the four possible response categories (Definitely Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree), either of the disagree responses receives a score of 1 and either of the agree responses receives a score of 0. The total SHAPS-SR score is calculated as the sum of these 14 items and ranges from 0 to 14, where higher SHAPS-SR scores indicate greater anhedonia.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 1, week 2, week 4, week 6, and week 10
Change in Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR) Score
The Motivation and Pleasure-Self-Report (MAP-SR) is an 18-item self-report inventory that was created to disentangle state-wise motivational and consummatory components of everyday activities over a 24-hour period. Participants respond to statements about daily activities on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 (no pleasure/not at all) to 4 (extreme pleasure/very often). Total scores range from 0 to 72 where higher scores indicate greater motivation and effort given to everyday situations.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 1, week 2, week 4, week 6, and week 10
Change in Inventory of Depressive Symptoms Self Report (IDS-SR) Anhedonia Subscale Score
Anhedonia is assessed with a 3-item subscale of the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (IDS-SR). Items are scored on a 4-point scale from 0 to 3. Total scores for the Anhedonia Subscale range from 0 to 9 with higher scores reflecting greater anhedonia.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 1, week 2, week 4, week 6, and week 10
Change in Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) Score
The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) assesses 5 dimensions of fatigue, including general fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, reduced activity and reduced motivation. Participants read 20 statements (such as "I feel very active") and indicate how true that feeling is for them on a 5-point scale where "yes, that is true" = 1 and "no, that is not true" = 5. Total scores range from 20 to 100 and higher scores indicate greater fatigue.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 1, week 2, week 4, week 6, and week 10
Change in Finger Tapping Task (FTT) Mean Number of Taps
The Finger Tapping Task (FTT) uses a specially adapted tapper that the participant taps as fast as possible using the index finger. The participant is given 5 consecutive 10-second trials for the preferred and non-preferred hands. The FTT score is calculated as the mean number of taps for the preferred and non-preferred hands. The FTT is designed to assess subtle motor impairment and is altered in subjects with basal ganglia disorders and lesions. A lower score indicates motor impairment.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10
Change in Finger Tapping Task (FTT) Total Number of Taps
The Finger Tapping Task (FTT) uses a specially adapted tapper that the participant taps as fast as possible using the index finger. The participant is given 5 consecutive 10-second trials for the preferred and non-preferred hands. The FTT score is calculated as the total number of taps for the preferred and non-preferred hands. The FTT is designed to assess subtle motor impairment and is altered in subjects with basal ganglia disorders and lesions. A lower score indicates motor impairment.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10
Change in Trail Making Test Part A (TMT-A) Score
The Trail Making Test Part A (TMT-A) measures psychomotor processing speed by asking participants to accurately draw lines connecting circles printed on a piece of paper as quickly as possible. In Part A, participants connect 25 circles in numeric sequence and the test is scored as the time in seconds that it takes to complete. Higher scores (i.e., time) indicate poorer performance.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10
Change in Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) Score
The Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) measures psychomotor speed, attention, and cognitive sequencing. Participants connect a series of randomly arranged circles in a designated sequential order, based on alternating numbers and letters letters (i.e., 1 to A to 2 to B, etc.) on paper. The test is scored as the time in seconds that it takes to complete. Higher scores (i.e., time) indicate poorer performance.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10
Change in Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) Score
The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) is a test of psychomotor speed, concentration, and graphomotor abilities that asks the respondent to match symbols to numbers as quickly as possible, using a visual reference. The examinee's score is determined by the number of symbols correctly drawn on paper within the 120 second time limit.
Time frame: Baseline visit, week 2, and week 10
Plan to share: Yes — Individual participant data will be made available for sharing through the National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive (NDA) data sharing platform hosted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan
Time frame: Data will be available for sharing after publication of the results from this study.
Access criteria: De-identified human subjects data, harmonized to a common standard, are available to qualified researchers. Summary data are available to all.
Data sharing details ↗ · nda.nih.gov
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Studies of the drug tested here: Baricitinib