An observational study in MDD, Severe Depression and Major Depressive Episode, sponsored by Technical University of Munich. Recruiting at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-22.
Sponsored by Technical University of Munich · Observational
his real-world observational study examines whether sensation-seeking personality traits influence the clinical response to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Participants will complete a validated sensation seeking scale prior to TMS treatment, and depressive symptoms will be assessed using standardized clinical scales during and after the TMS course.
his study aims to explore the relationship between sensation seeking traits and clinical outcomes following TMS therapy in adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Using a naturalistic, real-world treatment setting, patients undergoing standard TMS therapy will complete a validated sensation seeking questionnaire (e.g., Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale or similar) prior to treatment initiation. Depression severity will be measured at baseline, mid-treatment, and post-treatment using established scales (e.g., HAM-D, MADRS, or PHQ-9). The study will analyze whether sensation seeking predicts treatment response or remission rates, contributing to a better understanding of psychological moderators of TMS effectiveness.
8,240 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,641 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is below the median of 158 across 1,111 observational studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Technical University of Munich is the lead sponsor of 319 studies on the registry; 57 are open to participants now.
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This study includes adult patients experiencing a current depressive episode related to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Bipolar Disorder (Type I or II), or Schizoaffective Disorder who meet clinical criteria for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). All participants receive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as part of routine clinical care in a specialized neuromodulation program.
Participants are consecutively recruited during their standard TMS treatment. The study collects self-report and clinician-rated data, including the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), to examine whether sensation-seeking traits are associated with symptom improvement.
This population reflects the heterogeneous, real-world clinical cohort typically referred for TMS, including unipolar and bipolar depression, as well as schizoaffective disorder in a depressive phase.
Estimated enrollment: 60-100 participants, depending on recruitment flow and data comp
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:
Patients with treatment-resistant depression will receive standard clinical TMS therapy according to usual clinical protocols. The study will observe treatment outcomes and assess the association with individual sensation seeking traits. No experimental intervention or randomization is applied.
Correlation Between Change in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Scores and Baseline Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) Total Score
The primary analysis will test the correlation between change in depressive symptom severity (ΔMADRS = baseline MADRS - end-of-treatment MADRS) and the baseline Sensation Seeking Scale total score. Pearson's or Spearman's correlation coefficient (r/ρ) will be calculated, with 95% confidence intervals.
Time frame: Baseline (within 7 days before first TMS session) to end of acute TMS course (approximately 4-6 weeks)
Association Between Change in MADRS and SSS Total Score (Adjusted Model)
Multivariable linear regression of ΔMADRS on baseline SSS total, adjusting for age, sex, baseline MADRS, treatment parameters, and TRD burden.
Time frame: Baseline to end of acute TMS (4-6 weeks)
Plan to share: Yes — All anonymised study outcomes will be shared, including questionnaire, physiological, and device data.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Informed consent form, Analytic code
Time frame: IPD and supporting information will be made available immediately after the publication of study results, for an unrestricted duration.
Access criteria: The de-identified individual patient data, i.e., all IPD that underlie results in a publication, will be made accessible after its publication for non-commercial academic projects that have a legitimate research topic and a clearly stated hypothesis. In the event that the application is accepted, researchers will be asked to get the study approved by their institution's ethics board. The study principal investigator will subsequently provide the de-identified data sets via a safe data transfer system.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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