Augmentation of Positive Valence System–Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Inaudible High-Frequency Sounds for Anhedonia: A Trial Protocol for a Pilot Study

IMPORTANCE: Recent conceptualizations in Research Domain Criteria have indicated that anhedonia, 1 of 2 core symptoms of depression, which can be treatment resistant, is associated with deficits in the positive valence system, and inaudible high-frequency sound therapy has been shown to enhance reward-related brain circuitry. Hence, cognitive behavioral therapy focusing on the positive valence system enhanced with sound therapy could have a synergistic effect on anhedonia. OBJECTIVE: To test the augmentation effect of inaudible high-frequency sounds on the efficacy of positive valence system–focused cognitive behavioral therapy to treat anhedonia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this individual-level allocation, exploratory, single-center randomized superiority pilot trial, patients, therapists, and evaluators will be masked to intervention or placebo assignment. The trial will take place at a national psychiatric referral hospital in Tokyo, Japan, among 44 adult patients with clinically significant anhedonia and moderate to severe depression. Outcomes will be analyzed following the intent-to-treat principle using a repeated-measures mixed model. INTERVENTION: The intervention group will participate in 8 weekly sessions of positive valence system–focused cognitive behavioral therapy with in-session exposure to an inaudible high-frequency sound; the comparison group will undergo cognitive behavioral therapy with in-session exposure to a placebo sound. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome is anhedonia assessed using the self-reported Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. The secondary outcome is anhedonia assessed using the clinician-administered version of the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. DISCUSSION: Recruitment for this study began in May 2018, and the projected date of final allocation is January 2020. A total of 21 eligible patients were registered for participation as of May 30, 2019. To date, treatments for depression do not guarantee clinically successful outcomes. This pilot trial will provide preliminary evidence of the augmentation effect of high-frequency inaudible sounds on cognitive behavioral therapy for anhedonia. Overall, exposure to an inaudible high-frequency sounds does not require attentional or cognitive effort from either patients or therapists; therefore, results from a future confirmative trial could indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy can be augmented in an effortless manner. TRIAL REGISTRATION: umin.ac.jp/ctr Identifier: UMIN000031948