ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06096207Updated Sep 14, 2026

DBS for Depression

A Phase 1 interventional study of Medtronic SenSight Directional DBS lead in Treatment Resistant Depression, sponsored by Northwell Health. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-14.

Sponsored by Northwell Health · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Oct 2023; still recruiting 3 years later.

Help build ClinicalTrials.gg — short surveys, remote interviews or testing, in your language. Take part →

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Where this study stands

Counted across the records on this site · 2026-11-13

Among 204 studies in Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant with a site in United States — 43 open to participants now, 65 under way, 6 of them phase 3. Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant · United States.

Planned enrollment
116th of 181
20 · median 38
Started
2023
with 11 others
Phase 1
17 of 204
3 open now
Primary completion
2030-10
later than 55 of 64 live
Registered
160th of 204
by date

Among the 204 studies in Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant with a site in United States, this one is the 116th largest by planned enrollment of the 181 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 12 that started in 2023, is one of 17 in phase 1, reaches primary completion later than 55 of the 64 other live ones, and was the 160th registered.

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant

448 studies on the registry are indexed under Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant; 147 are open to participants now.

Browse Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant studies →

Open to participants now

43 of the 204 studies in Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant with a site in United States are open now. Recruiting first, the newest first:

38 more — sign in →

All 43 open studies →

A study can be open while its sites in United States have not opened yet or have stopped. Only those recruiting at a site in United States →

Who these studies take

Of the 114 Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant studies recruiting now, 26 (23%) set no upper age limit and 76 (67%) stop at 75 or younger; 1 takes children under 18; 13 take healthy volunteers.

This study: 18 Years to 65 Years · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.

The full table on the hub →

This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.

Was this useful?
Watch this landscapeDownload CSVNarrow it in search →With an account: a weekly mail of what changed among 204 studies in Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant with a site in United States, or all of them as a file.
02

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of deep brain stimulation in treatment resistant depression. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Is deep brain stimulation effective in treating treatment resistant depression?
  • Does deep brain stimulation improve overall clinical well-being and functioning?

Participants will be implanted with a deep brain stimulation device. They will then be monitored over a 5-year period by using multiple questionnaires to track their depression symptoms. The device will be turned off at certain time points, unbeknown to the participant, to show the efficacy of the device when it is turned on. The device will be ON for 8.5 months and OFF for 3.5 months during the first year.

Researchers will compare questionnaire scores when the device is off versus on to see if the device is working in reducing depression.

Read the detailed description

This initial study at Northwell Health has the purpose to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of performing slMFB DBS as a treatment for TRD at Northwell Health as well as more clearly establish efficacy. The investigators hypothesize that DBS targeting can be consistently placed in the supero-lateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) after identification using diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tract analysis, as performed in DBS at UTHealth. The investigators will implant the Medtronic SenSight Directional DBS lead at this target location.

03

Conditions studied

  • Treatment Resistant Depression

Keywords

  • TRD
04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

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.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Major Depression Disorder (MDD) or Bipolar Disorder (I /II) diagnosed by Structured Clinical Interview for (SCID I/DSM-V)
  2. Age 18 - 65 years.
  3. 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score of at least 21 on the first 17 items and/or Montgomery-Asburg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score of at least 21.
  4. World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale 2.0(WHODAS2.0) score of 19 or more
  5. A recurrent (equal or >4 episodes) or chronic (episode duration equal or higher >2 years) course AND a minimum of 5 years since the onset of the first depressive episode. Major impairment in functioning or potentially severe medical outcomes (repeated hospitalizations, serious suicidal or other self-injurious behavior) over lifetime history as determined by an investigator
  6. As determined by the study psychiatrist/investigator, has treatment resistant depression defined as failure to respond to: 6.1. Adequate trials (equal or >6 weeks at an adequate dose) of primary antidepressants from at least 3 different classes AND; 6.2. adequate trials (equal>4 weeks at an adequate dose) of augmentation/combination of a primary antidepressant using at least 2 different augmenting/combination agents (lithium, T3, stimulants,neuroleptics, anticonvulsants, buspirone, or a second primary antidepressant) AND; 6.3 An adequate trial of ECT (>6 bilateral treatments), or inability to tolerate an adequate ECT trial, AND; 6.4 An adequate trial of individual psychotherapy (>20 sessions with an experienced psychotherapist).
  7. Able to comply with the operational and administrative requirements of participation in the study.
  8. Able to give written
  9. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Bipolar Disorder (I/II) is the primary psychiatric diagnosis in the medical opinion of an investigator.
  10. On a stable psychiatric medication regimen beginning at least 6 weeks prior to enrollment and continuing through the first 6 months of the study, as determined by the investigator. Psychiatric medication changes can be made during the entirety of the subject's study participation but would be limited to the clinical judgment of the PI/study psychiatrist.
  11. At enrollment, provides the following information from at least two (2) verifiable contacts who reside within a 10-mile radius of the patient: name, relationship to patient, address (email mail); and telephone (mobile, home, work as applicable).
  12. Agrees to allow medical records requests and communications of any type to any and all health care providers who have seen the patient within five years of screening or enrollment.
  13. For the duration of study participation, agrees to be followed by a licensed psychiatrist and/or other licensed mental health practitioner on a regularly scheduled basis.
  14. FOR AGES 18-21: An average of at least 3 in the following subdomains on the Psychological Maturity Scale (PMS): questions 1-6, "Ego Resilience"; questions 7-13, "Self-Awareness"; questions 14-17, "Autonomy"; questions 18-21, Flexibility".
  15. FOR AGES 18-21: Residing with a caretaker or having oversight of a caretaker.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria

  1. Patients with any lifetime history of psychosis or psychotic disorder, according to diagnostic criteria, or in the medical opinion of the PI/study psychiatrist.
  2. Any finding on the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan that, in the opinion of the principal investigator and after consultation with the neuroradiologist, is, or might be, considered such that participation in the study: (a) seems likely to increase the medical risk to the subject sufficient to outweigh the potential benefit to study participation; (b) seems likely to jeopardize the subject's ability to complete the study or fulfill all study requirements per protocol; or (c) may impact he integrity of the data or the validity of the results.
  3. Any previous surgery to destroy the treatment target (superolateral MFB) rendering it either unilaterally or bilaterally damaged such that it cannot be effectively stimulated, as visualized by pre-operative MRI scans, in the medical opinion of the PI
  4. Any surgical to undergoing DBS, including labeled contraindications for DBS and/orinability to undergo presurgical MRI (cardiac pacemaker, implantable defibrillator or other implantablestimulator, pregnancy, metal in body, severe claustrophobia), infection, coagulopathy, inability to undergo an awake operation, significant cardiac or other medical risk factors for surgery. DBS contraindications include patients who are unable to properly operate the neurostimulator, and patientswho will be exposed to MRI or diathermy. MRI and diathermy (e.g., shortwave diathermy, microwave diathermy or therapeutic ultrasound diathermy) are contraindicated because the energy can be transferred through the implanted System (or any of the separate implanted components), which can cause tissue damage and can result in severe injury or death. Diathermy can damage parts of the neurostimulation system.
  5. Refusal of an adequate trial of ECT in the medical opinion of the study psychiatrist or PI following consultation with a study psychiatrist.
  6. History of stimulation intolerance in any area of the body.
  7. Within six (6) months of the enrollment date, has been diagnosed with, or has met the diagnostic criteria for, a substance abuse disorder (SUD) according to DSM-V criteria.
  8. Women of who, at enrollment or during the study: (a)have a positive urine pregnancy test; (b) are heterosexually active without the usage of a medically acceptable, highly effect method* (≤1% pregnancy rate); or (c) are planning to become pregnant during the 60-month course of this study, as determined by the PI. *Examples include tubal ligation, vasectomized partner, IUD or IUS (intrauterine device or system), and long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC).
  9. Active suicidal ideation with intent, suicide attempt within the last six months, more than three suicide attempts within the last two years, or serious suicide risk as determined by the study psychiatrists.
  10. Participation in another drug, device, or biologics trial within the preceding 30 days
  11. Presence of a condition requiring routine MRIs.
  12. Presence of a condition requiring diathermy.
  13. Subject is on anticoagulant medication.
  14. Prior to enrollment or during the course of the study and in the opinion of the PI, has a history of an medical, psychiatric, physical or non-physical disease, disorder, condition, injury, or disability; or has a non-medical reason (e.g., financial, logistical, personal, other) that: (a) may pose a significant risk to the patient; (b) may increase the possibility that the subject is unlikely to successfully complete all of the requirements of the study according to the study protocol; or (c) may adversely impact the integrity of the data or the validity of the study results.
  15. Subjects without a fixed home address or stable living situation, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator.
  16. Subjects involved in activities involving significant radiation exposure in the past year.
  17. Receiving TMS after DBS implantation
  18. Any mania or manic episodes within 5 years of enrollment according to DSM-V diagnostic criteria, or in the medical opinion of the PI/study psychiatrist
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(6)

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.

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.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

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.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

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.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Discontinuation Phase Group 1

    Patients will be randomized into two groups for crossover treatment analysis of different parameter settings for six weeks.

    Device: Medtronic SenSight Directional DBS lead

  • Experimental
    Discontinuation Phase Group 2

    Patients will be randomized into two groups for crossover treatment analysis of different parameter settings for six weeks.

    Device: Medtronic SenSight Directional DBS lead

Interventions

  • DeviceMedtronic SenSight Directional DBS lead

    At the ninth month post DBS implantation, the participant will enter a discontinuation phase of a duration of 6 weeks. The device will be turned on and off without participants' knowledge. After 6 weeks, the device will be turned back on if it was off. Whether the stimulation is active or not, it will be double blinded.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

    The MADRS is the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, which at 12 months will be the primary endpoint. The investigators hypothesize is that there will be a significant effect of being stimulated (ON) versus not simulated (OFF) on MADRS scores. Also, that at 12 months 50% of the patients will be responders.

    Time frame: 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale 2.0 (WHODAS2.0)

    WHODAS2.0 measures functional impairment. The investigators hypothesize that there will be a significant effect of being stimulated (ON) versus not simulated (OFF) on WHODAS2.0 scores.

    Time frame: 12 months

  2. Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) rated severity

    CGI is a clinician-determined summary based on all available information including severity, global improvement or change, and therapeutic response. The investigators hypothesize that there will be a significant effect of being stimulated (ON) versus not simulated (OFF) on CGI.

    Time frame: 12 months

  3. Measuring MADRS during discontinuation cross over weeks

    Depression scores when the device is turned ON verses OFF, as assessed by the MADRS sale. The investigators hypothesize that MADRS values will differ significantly during the two-week period of discontinuation versus the 4-week period of ON.

    Time frame: 6 weeks

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Fenoy AJ, Schulz P, Selvaraj S, Burrows C, Spiker D, Cao B, Zunta-Soares G, Gajwani P, Quevedo J, Soares J. Deep brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle: Distinctive responses in resistant depression. J Affect Disord. 2016 Oct;203:143-151. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.05.064. Epub 2016 Jun 3. PubMed 27288959 ↗
  • Fenoy AJ, Schulz PE, Selvaraj S, Burrows CL, Zunta-Soares G, Durkin K, Zanotti-Fregonara P, Quevedo J, Soares JC. A longitudinal study on deep brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle for treatment-resistant depression. Transl Psychiatry. 2018 Jun 4;8(1):111. doi: 10.1038/s41398-018-0160-4. PubMed 29867109 ↗
  • Fenoy AJ, Schulz PE, Sanches M, Selvaraj S, Burrows CL, Asir B, Conner CR, Quevedo J, Soares JC. Deep brain stimulation of the "medial forebrain bundle": sustained efficacy of antidepressant effect over years. Mol Psychiatry. 2022 May;27(5):2546-2553. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01504-y. Epub 2022 Mar 14. PubMed 35288633 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Oct 2023 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2030, 84 months after the start.

Of 20 phase 1 interventional studies under Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant, half reached primary completion within 41 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 16 and three quarters within 59. This study's planned 84 months is above that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 18, 2023
First posted
Oct 23, 2023
StartActual
Oct 18, 2023
Primary completionEst.
Oct 18, 2030
CompletionEst.
Oct 18, 2038
Last update
Sep 14, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 14, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06096207
Lead sponsor
Northwell Health
Collaborators
Medtronic
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 23, 2023
Start date
Oct 18, 2023
Primary completion
Oct 18, 2030 (estimated)
Completion
Oct 18, 2038 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 14, 2026

Study contacts

Jeanna Boltz
Contact
Jboltz@northwell.edu
7184708021
Albert J Fenoy, MD
principal investigator · Northwell Health

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Interested in this study?

Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.

Contact study team

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion