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Understanding Social Motivation with TMS for Depression and Social Anxiety

This study is exploring how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) affects brain activity related to social motivation. TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific brain areas. Researchers want to understand the brain circuits involved in social motivation in people with Major Depressive Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder who also experience social avoidance. You may be eligible if you are between 25 and 50 years old and have one of these diagnoses and social avoidant behavior. The study will measure your social motivation and brain function immediately after the TMS intervention. The current status of this study is unclear, and it aims to enroll 40 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study planning to enroll 40 participants. It is not specified if it is randomized or blinded.
What's involved
You would have four study visits over approximately one month, each lasting 1.5 to 3 hours. These visits include surveys, interviews, computer tasks, MRI scans, and TMS sessions.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your social motivation and neural circuit function will be measured immediately after the intervention.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06274112

Using TMS to Understand Neural Processes of Social Motivation

Recruiting
NAAges 25–50InterventionalBasic science
Auburn University
~40 participants
Updated 2026-03-03 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:TMS

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Social motivation
Measured over Immediately post-intervention
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Social Avoidant Behavior
Major Depressive Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder

Explore related trials

Social Anxiety DisorderSocial Avoidant BehaviorUnipolar Depression

NCT06274112

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Auburn University

    Auburn, Alabamastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Who to contact

Travis Evans, PhD
[email protected]
3348444550
Email the study team

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

A diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder OR a diagnosis of Social Anxiety Disorder (assessed/confirmed at screening visit).
Scoring above clinical threshold on a measure of social avoidant behavior (assessed/confirmed at phone screen).

Exclusion

Unstable psychotropic medication regimen (i.e., changes in psychotropic medication or dosage in past 3 months).
Current or lifetime diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder.
A diagnosis of substance use disorder within past 12 months.
A diagnosis of psychotic-spectrum disorder such as Schizophrenia.
Pregnancy or probable pregnancy.
Medical illness or medical treatment that would preclude or inhibit study participation.
Neurological disorder associated with brain damage.
History of seizures or head trauma with loss of consciousness \> 5 minutes.
Family history of epilepsy or personal epilepsy/seizures
Ferromagnetic implants or ferrmagnetic objects within body (e.g., pacemaker).

What this trial measures

  • Social motivationImmediately post-intervention

    Motivational responses to facial expressions as measured by the Social Approach Avoidance Paradigm (SAAP; Evans, Esterman, \& Britton, 2022). In the SAAP, participants self-report how much they would like to approach or avoid emotional facial expressions.

  • Neural circuit functionImmediately post-intervention

    Brain connectivity during motivational responses to facial expression during the Social Approach-Avoidance Paradigm (SAAP; Evans, Esterman, \& Britton, 2022) and during resting state conditions. In the SAAP, participants self-report how much they would like to approach or avoid emotional facial expressions. During resting state conditions, participants simply lie still with their eyes open without completing any type of task.