Cognitive Enhancement in Recurrent Depression (The COG-D-R Study)

This study is looking at ways to improve memory, thinking, and brain function in older adults (age 60 and above) who experience recurrent depression. Researchers are testing two non-drug approaches: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and computerized cognitive training. tDCS uses small electrical currents on the forehead to potentially help your brain process and learn. Computerized cognitive training uses tablet games to improve memory and thinking skills. To join, you need to be over 60 and show signs of executive dysfunction, which means you might have trouble with planning, organization, or attention. The study aims to see if these treatments improve your thinking and memory, and how your brain's connections change. The current status of this study is unclear.

Study design: This is an interventional study planning to enroll 69 participants. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups to receive different combinations of treatments.
What's involved: You would participate in daily sessions over 4 weeks. Psychiatric and neuropsychological evaluations, along with brain imaging (fMRI), will be done at the beginning and end of the intervention.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Your progress will be checked at the end of the 4-week intervention and again 3 months after the intervention is completed.

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

Cognitive Enhancement in Recurrent Depression (The COG-D-R Study)

Not Yet Recruiting

NAAges 60+InterventionalTreatment

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

~69 participants

Updated 2026-05-15 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Depression Cognitive TrainingNon-Specific Cognitive TrainingtDCS (active stimulation)tDCS (sham stimulation)

At a glance

Recruiting sites

0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

NIH Examiner

Measured over Baseline, Following completion of the 4-week intervention, 3-month Post-Intervention

+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Aging

Depression

Cognitive Symptoms

NCT07527273

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.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennesseeno site contact published

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

Sarah Szymkowicz, PhD

[email protected]

615-875-0032

Email the study team

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

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Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age \> 60 years

Evidence of executive dysfunction via SUBJECTIVE COMPLAINTS (At least one subdomain of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function in Adults (BRIEF-A) at T \> 65, or At least one average score of \> 1.5 on Planning, Organization, or Attention subdomains of the Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog)) or OBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE (At least one demographically adjusted z-score \> -1.0 SD below the mean on a measure of executive functioning (Digits backward, Trails B, or total Verbal Fluency) on the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set 3.0).

DSM-5 diagnosis of a current or past (within last 3 years) depressive episode (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)) via the using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (SCID-5).

Presence of 2 or more lifetime depressive episodes to be considered "recurrent."

Either stable antidepressant regimen for at least 6 weeks or no current antidepressant treatment (no plans to change treatment over course of study).

Fluent in English

Exclusion

Other psychiatric conditions via the SCID-5 (including history of bipolar disorder and psychosis, excluding comorbid anxiety disorders)

Severe depression (MADRS score \> 29)

Acute suicidality on clinical evaluation by study clinician and via response on MADRS item 10 (score of 4 or more would require further assessment)

Acute grief (occurring within past month)

History of alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder of moderate or greater severity in the last 12 months

Medications that would significantly interfere with tDCS effects (i.e., sodium channel blockers, GABA-ergic or glutamatergic drugs; see Appendix B for exclusionary list)40

Primary neurological disorder (e.g., epilepsy, brain tumor, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, dementia diagnosis)

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) \< 23

Primary amnestic cognitive profile (\>1.5 SD below demographically-adjusted mean on NACC memory measures in context otherwise normal cognitive profile, or per clinician judgement)

Any physical or intellectual disability affecting ability to complete assessments

Unstable medical illness needing urgent treatment

MRI contraindications

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in last 2 months

Current involvement in psychotherapy

Current involvement in other research studies (including but not limited to: neuromodulation \[TMS or tDCS\] or investigational drug studies). Observational studies \[without intervention\] are acceptable.

What this trial measures

NIH ExaminerBaseline, Following completion of the 4-week intervention, 3-month Post-Intervention
This objective cognitive test battery assesses a range of executive functions (working memory, inhibition, set shifting, fluency, and planning). The investigators will examine intervention-related change its Executive Composite Score (primary outcome), and subcomposite (Cognitive Control, Working Memory, and Fluency; secondary outcomes) scores, where higher scores indicate better performance.
Resting state fMRI functional connectivityBaseline, Following completion of the 4-week intervention
Functional connectivity from resting state fMRI will be processed using the CONN toolbox for connectivity, incorporating the Shaeffer network atlases to improve peer-research supported network usage in addition to the standard CONN atlases. A priori ROI-to-ROI analyses will be used to determine whether average connectivity changes in the Executive Control Network differs by treatment group. Analyses will control for multiple comparisons at false discovery rate (FDR) \< 0.05.

Trialytics