This project is designed to examine the neuronal KCNQ2/3 potassium (K+) channel subtype as a novel treatment target for mood disorders through the administration of the KCNQ-selective channel opener ezogabine (Potiga, GlaxoSmithKline; FDA-approved for the treatment of seizure disorders).
Depressive disorders are among the most disabling medical conditions worldwide and currently available treatments fall short of addressing this large public health burden. Dysfunction within the brain reward system is emerging as a core feature of depressive disorders, in particular related to deficits in motivation, interest, and response to pleasure (e.g., anhedonia: markedly diminished response to pleasure). Evidences from a series of preclinical studies from our group highlighted the KCNQ subtype of neuronal potassium (K+) channel as a novel target for the treatment of depressive disorders and our human pilot study showed a reduction in anhedonia and related symptoms, and an increased brain response to reward (as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging \[fMRI\]) following treatment with ezogabine. Building on this data, the current project will assess reward circuit activity following treatment with ezogabine in depressed patients with a current depressive disorder (Major depressive disorder \[MDD\], persistent depressive disorder, other specified depressive disorder) and anhedonia (defined by a score ≥ 20 on the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale \[SHAPS\]), using fMRI to investigate the cortico-striatal circuit to reward. This study represents the first part of the R61/R33 National Institutes of Health (NIH) founded project. A clear increase in reward circuit activation in at least one ezogabine treatment group compared to placebo, given acceptable tolerability, will constitute a "go" and the project will move to the next phase (R33), where we aim to examine the relationship between treatment, reward circuit activity, and behavioral and clinical outcomes in a larger, confirmatory efficacy trial of ezogabine for depression with anhedonia.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
45
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, United States
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
Change in Ventral Striatum (VS) Activation
change in activation during reward anticipation within the bilateral VS from baseline (Study Visit 0) to the primary outcome visit (Study Visit 5) as measured by functional MRI during the incentive flanker task (IFT). The IFT, like the Monetary Incentive Delay task, permits discrete modeling of brain activity during anticipation of an incentive. Functional scans were preprocessed and denoised for motion and physiological noise using multi-echo independent component analysis (ME-ICA). Task-based modeling was conducted using AFNI and FSL software. The primary outcome for reward anticipation was the contrast of reward cue compared to neutral cue (reward\>neutral cue). The primary imaging outcome was analyzed using a linear mixed model with a single random intercept term treating time as discrete or continuous as appropriate.
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Change in Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS)
The SHAPS is a well-validated 14-item self-report questionnaire commonly used to assess anhedonia. Each item on the SHAPS is worded so that higher scores indicate greater pleasure capacity. A total score can be derived by summing the responses to each item. Items answered with "strongly agree" are coded as "1", while a "strongly disagree" response was assigned a score of "4." Total scores on the SHAPS can range from 14 to 56, with higher scores corresponding to higher levels of anhedonia.
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I)
A widely administered clinician rated global measure of the degree of improvement from the initial assessment in subject overall illness severity. 7 point scale rated as: 1, very much improved; 2, much improved; 3, minimally improved; 4, no change; 5, minimally worse; 6, much worse; or 7, very much worse.
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S)
Clinician rated global measure of subject overall illness severity. a 7-point scale rated as 1, normal, not at all ill; 2, borderline mentally ill; 3, mildly ill; 4, moderately ill; 5, markedly ill; 6, severely ill; or 7, extremely ill.
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Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Anticipatory and Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale (ACIPS)
A measure specifically designed to assess hedonic capacity for social and interpersonal pleasure.The ACIPS is a 17-item self-report measure scored on a likert scale, ranging from 1 (very false for me) to 6 (very true for me). Full scale from 17-102, higher score indicates higher hedonic capacity
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
A 10-item instrument used for the evaluation of depressive symptoms in adults and for the assessment of any changes to those symptoms. Each items is scored 0 (normal) to 6 (severe depression) with overall score ranges from 0 (normal) to 60 (severe depression).
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
A 12-item generic assessment instrument that measures the level of functioning. Each item is scored from 0 to 4 and the items are summed to provide a total score. The score therefore ranges from 0 to 48, with higher scores indicating greater disability.
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS)
The TEPS is composed of 18-items rated on a likert-type scale ranging from 1 (Very True for me) to 6 (Very False for me), and yields two subscales. Ten items make up the TEPS-Anticipatory Pleasure (TEPS-ANT) scale with a range from 10 (not motivated) to 60 (highly motivated). The other eight TEPS items make up the TEPS-Consummatory Pleasure (TEPS-CON) scale; range from 8 (not responsive) to 48 (highly responsive). Total scores range is 18-108. Lower scores indicate greater levels of anhedonia.
Time frame: baseline and 5 weeks
Specific Loss of Interest and Pleasure Scale (SLIPS)
The SLIPS is a recently developed and validated measure of anhedonia that is tailored to detect recent changes in anhedonia. A 23-item measure, each item range from 0-3. Full scale from 0 to 69, higher score indicates more recent changes.
Time frame: baseline 5 weeks