Brain Stimulation for Emotions

Overseen By Edward F Chang, MD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Disqualifiers: Cerebral lesions, Cognitive deficits, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

100 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The overall goal of this study is to elucidate how emotion network dynamics relate to the behavioral, autonomic, and experiential changes that accompany emotions and to investigate how emotion network dysfunction relates to affective symptoms. Affective symptoms are a common feature of neuropsychiatric disorders that reflect dysfunction in a distributed brain network that supports emotion. How aberrant functioning in a single emotion network underlies a wide range of affective symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, is not well understood. Anchored by the anterior cingulate cortex and ventral anterior insula, the emotion network responds to numerous affective stimuli. The recording of neural activity directly from the cortical surface from individuals is a promising approach since intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) can provide direct estimates of neuronal populations to map the spatiotemporal dynamics of the emotion network at a millisecond level resolution. This study will exam how activity within emotion network hubs changes during emotions and how emotion network properties make some individuals more vulnerable to affective symptoms than others. A multidisciplinary approach is critical for understanding the dynamic brain network to advance neuroanatomical models of emotions and for guiding the development of novel treatments for affective symptoms.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Electrical stimulation of the brain, Viewing visual stimuli for emotions?

Research shows that electrical stimulation of certain brain areas can change emotional experiences and attention to visual stimuli. For example, stimulating the orbitofrontal cortex, insula, and cingulate cortex can alter emotional states, and stimulating the prefrontal cortex can affect how we pay attention to emotional images. This suggests that brain stimulation might help in managing emotions. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is brain stimulation for emotions generally safe in humans?

Research suggests that electrical stimulation of the brain, such as amygdala stimulation, can be safe in humans. It can cause changes in emotion-related physiological responses without significantly affecting subjective emotional experience or causing clinical seizures. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does brain stimulation for emotions differ from other treatments for emotional conditions?

Brain stimulation for emotions is unique because it uses electrical currents directly applied to specific brain areas to modulate emotional experiences, unlike traditional treatments that might involve medication or talk therapy. This approach allows for precise targeting of brain regions involved in emotions, potentially leading to more immediate and specific changes in emotional states. ^{2 11 12 13 14}

Research Team

Edward F Chang, MD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Virginia Sturm, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals with epilepsy at UCSF who are undergoing surgical electrode implantation and can cooperate with study tasks. It's not suitable for those unable to consent, with significant brain lesions, or cognitive deficits that prevent reliable task completion.

Inclusion Criteria

I have electrodes implanted in at least two key areas and can participate in study tasks.

I am having surgery at UCSF to locate my seizures using electrodes.

Exclusion Criteria

I am able to understand and complete study tasks.

I am unable or unwilling to give consent for this trial.

I have significant brain lesions.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Inpatient Hospitalization

Participants undergo video and stimulation-based induction of emotion while being monitored for changes in respiratory rate, heart rate, facial expression activity, electrodermal activity, and neural activity within the emotion network.

4-14 days

Continuous monitoring during hospitalization

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the inpatient phase, focusing on any changes in affective symptoms.

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Electrical stimulation of the brain
• Viewing visual stimuli

Trial Overview The study investigates how the emotion network in the brain operates by having participants view visual stimuli and receive electrical stimulation. The aim is to understand emotional behavior changes and affective symptoms like depression and anxiety.

Participant Groups

Group I: Video and stimulation-based induction of emotion Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants viewed visual stimuli while undergoing stimulation of brain regions involved in emotion during their inpatient hospitalization at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

San Francisco State University

Collaborator

Trials

12

Recruited

2,500+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mirror of the soul: a cortical stimulation study on recognition of facial emotions. [2010]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intensity of affective experience is modulated by magnitude of intracranial electrical stimulation in human orbitofrontal, cingulate and insular cortices. [2023]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation modulates electrocortical measures of visual attention: evidence from direct bilateral epidural cortical stimulation in treatment-resistant mood disorder. [2010]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

State-dependent responses to intracranial brain stimulation in a patient with depression. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Emotions induced by intracerebral electrical stimulation of the temporal lobe. [2007]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neural correlates of affective picture processing--a depth ERP study. [2009]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Human amygdala stimulation effects on emotion physiology and emotional experience. [2022]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Emotionally arousing stimuli compete for attention with left hemispace. [2007]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Emotional information processing and visual evoked brain potentials. [2004]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring the causal underpinnings of determination, resolve, and will. [2018]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Linking Electrical Stimulation of Human Primary Visual Cortex, Size of Affected Cortical Area, Neuronal Responses, and Subjective Experience. [2018]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Film excerpts shown to specifically elicit various affects lead to overlapping activation foci in a large set of symmetrical brain regions in males. [2021]

13. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Electrical stimulation of the human brain: perceptual and behavioral phenomena reported in the old and new literature. [2021]

14. Italy pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The origin of pleasant sensations: Insight from direct electrical brain stimulation. [2023]