Major Depressive Episode (MDE)OLDBELIEFSNCT07681492
Belief Update: The Effects of Depression and Antidepressants in Older People
A study testing Response to questionnaire in people with Major Depressive Episode (MDE) and Beliefs, run by Hospital Center Guillaume Régnier at 2 sites in France.
Trial summary
People in good health do not perceive the future in the same way as those suffering from depression. This difference in perception affects behaviour and emotions and warrants further investigation, both before and after treatment with antidepressants. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Major Depressive Episode (MDE), Beliefs, Beliefs About Future
- What is being tested?
- Response to questionnaire
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 62 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesFrance
- Study dates
- 14 Jan 2025to Oct 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- mental disorders other than mood disorders : attention deficit dissorder, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, anorexia-bulimia disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders and substance use disorder (except tobacco).
- Inability to understand task instructions and perform the behavioral task
- Neurological or neurosurgical comorbidities
- Major visual impairment
- Adults under state medical aid
- Adults under legal protection (legal guardianship, curatorship, trusteeship), persons deprived of their liberty
Show all 9Show fewer
- Inclusion Criteria for patients with major depressive disorder :
- Absence of psychiatric disorders attested by administration of the MINI
- Absence of cognitive impairment as evidenced by an MMSE ≥ 24
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France2 sites, 2 recruiting
- Not yet recruiting
Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Regnier
Rennes, 35700
Gabriel ROBERT, PhD, +332 99 33 39 37, g.robert@ch-guillaumeregnier.fr
- Recruiting
Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Régnier
Rennes, 35700
Gabriel Robert, Phd, +332 99 33 39 37 ext. +33, g.robert@ch-guillaumeregnier.fr
About this study
People in good health do not perceive the future in the same way as those suffering from depression. This difference in perception affects behaviour and emotions and warrants further investigation, both before and after treatment with antidepressants. Research shows that past negative experiences with medication can reduce the effectiveness of treatment, whilst positive expectations can increase it. It is important to gain a better understanding of how antidepressants influence the way in which elderly people with major depressive disorder (MDD) change their beliefs, and to determine whether an improvement in their depressive symptoms is linked to these changes in their beliefs. This study aims to understand whether antidepressants can alter the way people view the future and whether this contributes to their effectiveness. It also seeks to determine whether patients' expectations regarding treatment influence clinical outcomes, and whether changes in their mood may in turn affect these expectations. The study will involve 31 patients aged 65 and over who are suffering from a depressive disorder and require a change of antidepressant, and 31 healthy subjects, also aged 65 and over. The participants' involvement will last for 12 weeks.
During a medical consultation, once the doctor has checked that the participant meet all the study's eligibility criteria, they will ask for the participant consent to take part in the study. The participant will then be asked to answer one question about what you hope to gain from the new antidepressant treatment that the doctor will prescribe for the participant. Finally, the participant will carry out a belief-updating exercise, which involves : presenting the participant with a series of events and ask them to indicate how likely they think each of them is to occur, and then. Once they have received further information about these events, ask them to reassess the likelihood of them occurring. This task will be carried out again 12 weeks after the participant start taking their antidepressant, during a consultation required as part of their individual care plan. From the first week of antidepressant treatment until week 12, the participant will be contacted by telephone once a week to answer two short questions about their expectations regarding the treatment and any changes in your mood.
- Being tested
- Response to questionnaire
- Keywords
- Major Depressive Episode (MDE), Beliefs, Beliefs about future, Depression
- Medical subject headings
- Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Response to questionnaireBehavioural
The patients are assessed using the MADRS score upopn inclusion (after the wash-out, before the new treatment) and 12 weeks later, after the treatment. The patient are also assessed by looking at the overall changes in atitude, the first time upon inclusion and after every week until the end of the treatment 12 weeks later.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group with major depressive disorder | Experimental | Group with major depressive disorder Receives: Behavioral: Response to questionnaire |
| Group without major depressive disorder | Placebo comparator | Group without major depressive disorder Receives: Behavioral: Response to questionnaire |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Difference in MADRS (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) score before versus after treatment.
The aim is to assess whether any changes in the severity of major depressive episodes (MDEs) following treatment with conventional antidepressants are associated with changes in belief updating in older patients with MDEs compared to healthy volunteers. This is assessed by using the MADRS scale and by looking at all changes in the updating of beliefs. Upon inclusion, patients are assessed using the MADRS. Patients are also assessed 12 weeks later after treatment. Score ranges from 0 to 60. The higher the score, the more severe the disorder is.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Difference in treatment expectations
Assess whether changes in treatment expectations over time are associated with clinical improvement in depression. The patients are assessed by using the MADRS scale for the first time upon inclusion and for a second time 12 weeks later (after tratment). Score ranges from 0 to 60. The higher the score, the more severe the disorder is.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months
Difference in treatment expectations
Assess whether changes in treatment expectations over time are associated with changes in subjective mood assessment over time.
This is assessed by looking at all changes in the updating of beliefs, the first time upon inclusion and the second time, 12 weeks later (after treatment).
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jul 2026
- Study start14 Jan 2025
- Primary completionOct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionOct 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (13)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Major Depressive Episode (MDE)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hospital Center Guillaume Régnier
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07681492
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- RNI24_01_GR
- Other IDs
- 2024-A02279-38
- Acronym
- OLDBELIEFS
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 2 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Data about study protocol and clinical information will be available on request from other researchers.
Publications
Keks N, Hope J, Keogh S. Switching and stopping antidepressants. Aust Prescr. 2016 Jun;39(3):76-83. doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2016.039. Epub 2016 Jun 1.
PubMed 27346915Kozyra E, Lau T. Medication Strategies: Switching, Tapering, Cross-Over, Overmedication, Drug-Drug Interactions, and Discontinuation Syndromes. In: Fenn HH, Hategan A, Bourgeois JA, éditeurs. Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry : Optimum Care, Emerging Limitations, and Realistic Goals [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2019 [cité 3 févr 2025]. p. 325-38
Pecina M, Chen J, Karp JF, Dombrovski AY. Dynamic Feedback Between Antidepressant Placebo Expectancies and Mood. JAMA Psychiatry. 2023 Apr 1;80(4):389-398. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.0010.
PubMed 36857039Krell HV, Leuchter AF, Morgan M, Cook IA, Abrams M. Subject expectations of treatment effectiveness and outcome of treatment with an experimental antidepressant. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004 Sep;65(9):1174-9. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v65n0904.
PubMed 15367043Colloca L, Barsky AJ. Placebo and Nocebo Effects. N Engl J Med. 2020 Feb 6;382(6):554-561. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1907805. No abstract available.
PubMed 32023375Mondloch MV, Cole DC, Frank JW. Does how you do depend on how you think you'll do? A systematic review of the evidence for a relation between patients' recovery expectations and health outcomes. CMAJ. 2001 Jul 24;165(2):174-9.
PubMed 11501456Perlman K, Benrimoh D, Israel S, Rollins C, Brown E, Tunteng JF, You R, You E, Tanguay-Sela M, Snook E, Miresco M, Berlim MT. A systematic meta-review of predictors of antidepressant treatment outcome in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2019 Jan 15;243:503-515. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.09.067. Epub 2018 Sep 18.
PubMed 30286415Bottemanne H, Morlaas O, Claret A, Sharot T, Fossati P, Schmidt L. Evaluation of Early Ketamine Effects on Belief-Updating Biases in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 1;79(11):1124-1132. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.2996.
PubMed 36169969Garrett N, Sharot T, Faulkner P, Korn CW, Roiser JP, Dolan RJ. Losing the rose tinted glasses: neural substrates of unbiased belief updating in depression. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014 Aug 28;8:639. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00639. eCollection 2014.
PubMed 25221492Korn CW, Sharot T, Walter H, Heekeren HR, Dolan RJ. Depression is related to an absence of optimistically biased belief updating about future life events. Psychol Med. 2014 Feb;44(3):579-92. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713001074. Epub 2013 May 15.
PubMed 23672737Kube T. Biased belief updating in depression. Clin Psychol Rev. 2023 Jul;103:102298. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102298. Epub 2023 Jun 1.
PubMed 37290245Chowdhury R, Sharot T, Wolfe T, Duzel E, Dolan RJ. Optimistic update bias increases in older age. Psychol Med. 2014 Jul;44(9):2003-12. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713002602. Epub 2013 Nov 4.
PubMed 24180676Sharot T, Korn CW, Dolan RJ. How unrealistic optimism is maintained in the face of reality. Nat Neurosci. 2011 Oct 9;14(11):1475-9. doi: 10.1038/nn.2949.
PubMed 21983684
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Belief Update: The Effects of Depression and Antidepressants in Older People
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07681492
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- OLDBELIEFS / RNI24_01_GR
- Keywords
- Major Depressive Episode (MDE), Beliefs, Beliefs about future, Depression
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Hospital Center Guillaume RégnierUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 14 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Oct 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
People in good health do not perceive the future in the same way as those suffering from depression. This difference in perception affects behaviour and emotions and warrants further investigation, both before and after treatment with antidepressants. Research shows that past negative experiences with medication can reduce the effectiveness of treatment, whilst positive expectations can increase it. It is important to gain a better understanding of how antidepressants influence the way in which elderly people with major depressive disorder (MDD) change their beliefs, and to determine whether an improvement in their depressive symptoms is linked to these changes in their beliefs. This study aims to understand whether antidepressants can alter the way people view the future and whether this contributes to their effectiveness. It also seeks to determine whether patients' expectations regarding treatment influence clinical outcomes, and whether changes in their mood may in turn affect these expectations. The study will involve 31 patients aged 65 and over who are suffering from a depressive disorder and require a change of antidepressant, and 31 healthy subjects, also aged 65 and over. The participants' involvement will last for 12 weeks.
During a medical consultation, once the doctor has checked that the participant meet all the study's eligibility criteria, they will ask for the participant consent to take part in the study. The participant will then be asked to answer one question about what you hope to gain from the new antidepressant treatment that the doctor will prescribe for the participant. Finally, the participant will carry out a belief-updating exercise, which involves : presenting the participant with a series of events and ask them to indicate how likely they think each of them is to occur, and then. Once they have received further information about these events, ask them to reassess the likelihood of them occurring. This task will be carried out again 12 weeks after the participant start taking their antidepressant, during a consultation required as part of their individual care plan. From the first week of antidepressant treatment until week 12, the participant will be contacted by telephone once a week to answer two short questions about their expectations regarding the treatment and any changes in your mood.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group with major depressive disorder | Experimental | Behavioral: Response to questionnaireGroup with major depressive disorder |
| Group without major depressive disorder | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: Response to questionnaireGroup without major depressive disorder |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- mental disorders other than mood disorders : attention deficit dissorder, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, anorexia-bulimia disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders and substance use disorder (except tobacco).
- Inability to understand task instructions and perform the behavioral task
- Neurological or neurosurgical comorbidities
- Major visual impairment
- Adults under state medical aid
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Response to questionnaireThe patients are assessed using the MADRS score upopn inclusion (after the wash-out, before the new treatment) and 12 weeks later, after the treatment. The patient are also assessed by looking at the overall changes in atitude, the first time upon inclusion and after every week until the end of the treatment 12 weeks later. | Behavioural | Group with major depressive disorder, Group without major depressive disorder |
Primary outcome
Difference in MADRS (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) score before versus after treatment.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months.
The aim is to assess whether any changes in the severity of major depressive episodes (MDEs) following treatment with conventional antidepressants are associated with changes in belief updating in older patients with MDEs compared to healthy volunteers. This is assessed by using the MADRS scale and by looking at all changes in the updating of beliefs. Upon inclusion, patients are assessed using the MADRS. Patients are also assessed 12 weeks later after treatment. Score ranges from 0 to 60. The higher the score, the more severe the disorder is.
2 secondary outcomes
Difference in treatment expectations
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months
Difference in treatment expectations
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Jul 2026.
- Background: PubMed 27346915Keks N, Hope J, Keogh S. Switching and stopping antidepressants. Aust Prescr. 2016 Jun;39(3):76-83. doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2016.039. Epub 2016 Jun 1.
- BackgroundKozyra E, Lau T. Medication Strategies: Switching, Tapering, Cross-Over, Overmedication, Drug-Drug Interactions, and Discontinuation Syndromes. In: Fenn HH, Hategan A, Bourgeois JA, éditeurs. Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry : Optimum Care, Emerging Limitations, and Realistic Goals [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2019 [cité 3 févr 2025]. p. 325-38
- Background: PubMed 36857039Pecina M, Chen J, Karp JF, Dombrovski AY. Dynamic Feedback Between Antidepressant Placebo Expectancies and Mood. JAMA Psychiatry. 2023 Apr 1;80(4):389-398. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.0010.
- Background: PubMed 15367043Krell HV, Leuchter AF, Morgan M, Cook IA, Abrams M. Subject expectations of treatment effectiveness and outcome of treatment with an experimental antidepressant. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004 Sep;65(9):1174-9. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v65n0904.
- Background: PubMed 32023375Colloca L, Barsky AJ. Placebo and Nocebo Effects. N Engl J Med. 2020 Feb 6;382(6):554-561. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1907805. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 11501456Mondloch MV, Cole DC, Frank JW. Does how you do depend on how you think you'll do? A systematic review of the evidence for a relation between patients' recovery expectations and health outcomes. CMAJ. 2001 Jul 24;165(2):174-9.
- Background: PubMed 30286415Perlman K, Benrimoh D, Israel S, Rollins C, Brown E, Tunteng JF, You R, You E, Tanguay-Sela M, Snook E, Miresco M, Berlim MT. A systematic meta-review of predictors of antidepressant treatment outcome in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2019 Jan 15;243:503-515. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.09.067. Epub 2018 Sep 18.
- Background: PubMed 36169969Bottemanne H, Morlaas O, Claret A, Sharot T, Fossati P, Schmidt L. Evaluation of Early Ketamine Effects on Belief-Updating Biases in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 1;79(11):1124-1132. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.2996.
- Background: PubMed 25221492Garrett N, Sharot T, Faulkner P, Korn CW, Roiser JP, Dolan RJ. Losing the rose tinted glasses: neural substrates of unbiased belief updating in depression. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014 Aug 28;8:639. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00639. eCollection 2014.
- Background: PubMed 23672737Korn CW, Sharot T, Walter H, Heekeren HR, Dolan RJ. Depression is related to an absence of optimistically biased belief updating about future life events. Psychol Med. 2014 Feb;44(3):579-92. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713001074. Epub 2013 May 15.
- Background: PubMed 37290245Kube T. Biased belief updating in depression. Clin Psychol Rev. 2023 Jul;103:102298. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102298. Epub 2023 Jun 1.
- Background: PubMed 24180676Chowdhury R, Sharot T, Wolfe T, Duzel E, Dolan RJ. Optimistic update bias increases in older age. Psychol Med. 2014 Jul;44(9):2003-12. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713002602. Epub 2013 Nov 4.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Data about study protocol and clinical information will be available on request from other researchers.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Response to questionnaire in people with Major Depressive Episode (MDE) and Beliefs, run by Hospital Center Guillaume Régnier at 2 sites in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 0 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Gabriel ROBERT, PhD (+332 99 33 39 37, g.robert@ch-guillaumeregnier.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Difference in MADRS (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) score before versus after treatment. (time frame: From enrollment to the end of the data collecting process : 3 months.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07681492, which also lists 13 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Jul 2026.