NCT06599099: DBS in TRBD

Deep Brain Stimulation of Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression

Recruiting now NA Last updated 26 January 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Medtronic Percept RC System in Bipolar Depression in 10 participants. Currently enrolling.

Timeline

1 January 2025

Primary endpoint
30 May 2029

30 May 2030

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Wayne Goodman MD
Phase	NA
Status	Recruiting now
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	non randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	10
Start date	1 January 2025
Primary completion	30 May 2029
Estimated completion	30 May 2030
Sites	4 locations across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• Medtronic Percept RC System
• One Month Blinded Discontinuation Period

Conditions studied

• Bipolar Depression — all drugs for Bipolar Depression →

Sponsor

Wayne Goodman MD

Who can join

Adults 22 to 64, any sex, with Bipolar Depression. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

This study is only enrolling at Baylor College of Medicine. The other research locations listed serve to support data analysis only.

This research study is to investigate the use of technology called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to potentially improve Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression (TRBD) symptoms in patients with severe cases. DBS involves the surgical implantation of leads and electrodes into specific areas of the brain, which are thought to influence the disease. A pack implanted in the chest, called the neurotransmitter, keeps the electrical current coursing to the brain through a wire that connects the neurotransmitter and electrodes. It is believed DBS may restore balance to dysfunctional brain circuitry implicated in TRBD. The goal of this study is to enhance current approaches to DBS targeting in the brain and to use a novel approach to find a better and more reliable system for TRBD treatment.

Its important for participants to understand that this is an investigational study where there could be a lack of effectiveness in improving TRBD symptoms. There may be no directly benefit from taking part in this study.

This study is expected to last 20 months and involves 3 main steps.

1. Medical, psychiatric, and cognitive evaluations.
2. Implantation of a brain stimulation system.
3. Follow up after implantation of device, including programming, recording, and psychiatric testing.

There are risks and benefits to this study which need to be considered when deciding to participate or not. Some of the risks are from surgery, the DBS device and programming, the tests involved, and potential loss of confidentiality, as well as other unknown risks.

Some of the more serious risks involved in this study and the percentage that they occur:

1. Bleeding inside the Brain (1 to 2 percent).
2. Infection from the procedures (3 percent)
3. Seizure caused from the procedures (1.2 percent)

However, the benefit of this study is that it may help relieve or decrease TRBD symptoms. This form of treatment has shown to reduce symptom severity in other cases. This could potentially improve quality of life and activities in daily routines. There is also a potential benefit to society in that the data the investigators will obtain from this study may help increase the understanding of the mechanisms underlying TRBD symptoms, as well as enhanced Deep Brain Stimulation techniques.

Study participation is expected to last 20 months from the time the DBS device is activated and should include approximately 23 visits. These visits also include 8 separate, 24 hour stays at the Menninger NeuroBehvaioral Monitoring Unit (NBU). These 24-hour sessions will occur at multiple points throughout the study (1 week prior to surgery, the week preceding device activation, the week following activation, then after 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months). Participants will need to stay locally for the week of the NBU stay (typically Monday through Friday).

Study visits will include clinician administered assessments and questionnaires, subject reported assessments, neuropsychological testing, and mobile behavioral assessments which will occur around 23 visits over the course of 20 months.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Best practices for clinical trials of deep brain stimulation for neuropsychiatric indications.
   Tremblay-McGaw AG, Hamlat EJ, Becker NC, Astudillo Maya DA, et al · · 2025 · cited 1× · PMID 40309667 · DOI 10.3389/fnhum.2025.1572972