Anergia in Depression (AID)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying anergia: a bidirectionally translational approach.
IRAS ID
346430
Contact name
Liam Mason
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London Hospital Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106 2025 12 106, UCL Data Protection Registration
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Many people with depression experience very low energy, known as anergia, which makes everyday activities feel unusually hard. This symptom is often severe and does not always improve with standard treatments. We still do not fully understand why some people find effort particularly difficult. This study aims to learn how people with and without depression judge how much effort something will take, how this relates to activity in the brain, and whether these patterns can help predict how well someone responds to therapy.
Participants will complete computer-based tasks that measure how they balance effort and reward. Some people will also do these tasks during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. We are using a high-resolution MRI scanner (7T), which produces very detailed pictures of how the brain works during decision-making. This will help us understand the brain circuits involved in effort and motivation.
After the study visit, participants will use a smartphone app that sends brief daily questions about mood, energy and activity, along with short game-like tasks. Some participants will also wear a wrist-worn device to monitor sleep and movement. These tools help us track changes in energy and motivation during everyday life, not just in the lab.
Participants with depression will then be followed while they receive routine NHS psychological therapy. By linking early task and brain-imaging results with later progress in therapy, we hope to identify whether certain patterns—such as finding effort unusually demanding, predict who is most likely to benefit from standard treatment.
The findings may support more personalised care for depression in future. The study is funded by the Wellcome Trust Mental Health Award and will recruit from NHS psychological therapy services, UCL participant pools, and the local community.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0115
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion