View clinical trials related to Depressive Disorder.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to investigate brain pathways within adult females (with a history of CSA that occurred between the ages of 5-14) with and without a current diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Hypotheses: The CSA/MDD participants will be characterized by (1) reduced reward responsiveness and prefrontal cortex activity, but increased cortisol levels, (2) reduced dopamine activity, and (3) reduced dopamine transporter binding. The over-arching purpose of the study is to (1) identify individuals at risk for psychopathology and maladaptive behavior, (2) prevent re-victimization, and (3) develop more targeted therapeutic interventions.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often characterized by anhedonia and impaired ability to modulate behavior as a function of rewards. However, the neurobiology of anhedonia and reduced reward responsiveness remains largely unknown. Because dopamine (DA) plays a critical role in goal-directed behavior and reinforcement learning, DA dysregulation might play an important role. In fact, several lines of evidence suggest that down-regulation of DA transmission might characterize depression vulnerability and the emergence of depressive symptoms. The current study seeks to elucidate the role of DA dysfunction in MDD. We hypothesize that MDD subjects will show reduced DAT binding potential, reduced reward learning in the probabilistic reward task, and abnormal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation in dorsal and ventral striatal regions during an instrumental learning task. This study will include three sessions. The first will take place at Massachusetts General Hospital or at McLean Hospital's Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research. The aims of this session will be to (a) explain the study; (b) collect written informed consent, and (c) assess the subject's eligibility. Following this, another session (either second or third in order) will take place at the MGH PET Imaging Laboratory. Participants will complete a PET scan and a probabilistic reward task designed to measure reward learning and sensitivity to reward. The radioactive tracer utilized is 11C-altropane. Another session (either second or third in order) will take place at the McLean Hospital Neuroimaging Center. Participants will complete an instrumental learning task while in the fMRI, followed by a social reinforcement learning task and an implicit learning serial reaction time task upon completion of the scan. In the instrumental learning task, participants have the opportunity to earn money but need to learn, by trial and error, stimulus-outcome associations. The social reinforcement learning task is designed to investigate whether learning deficits in MDD are specific to learning from monetary incentives or whether the learning deficits are more global and are affected when learning from social rewards and punishments. Participants will also complete an implicit learning serial reaction time task, designed to exclude the possibility of global learning deficits in MDD.
This study is designed to compare the effectiveness of two medications, Ketamine and Midazolam, for rapidly relieving suicidal thoughts in people suffering from depression. The first drug, Ketamine, is an experimental antidepressant that early studies have shown may quickly reduce suicidal thoughts, but we are not sure how well it may work. Midazolam, the comparison drug, is not thought to reduce depression or suicidal thoughts.
This randomized pilot study will test the feasibility of a behavioral intervention for late life depression. Enrolled participants will receive 9 weeks of a specialized form of psychotherapy we call "ENGAGE" or standard of care psychotherapy. ENGAGE is a stepped care psychotherapy based on what is currently known about older adults' response to depression interventions. Stepped care is a model of treatment that starts with the minimum effective therapeutic techniques first, and then based on how well people respond to treatment, additional therapeutic techniques are added until individuals recover from their depression. The treatment components of ENGAGE were selected to match the most common problems seen in older adults with depression. They include instructing the participant in basic problem solving techniques and encouraging re-engagement in rewarding activities. Participants will be depressed, older adult clients of Westchester Jewish Community Services or outpatient research subjects recruited by the Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry. In addition to receiving therapy, study participants will also undergo research assessments at the beginning of the study and then at weeks 6 and 9.
The investigators hypothesized that combined pharmacotherapy using adjunctive aripiprazole of standard antidepressants would be associated with improved depression response in Major depressive disorder, especially in Quality of life. The investigators compare the mean changes in the quality of life between before add-on and 8 weeks treatment of aripiprazole and between before add-on and 6 weeks treatment of aripiprazole.
To determine whether individuals who suffer from depression and obesity are able to lose weight and show improvements in mood and cardiovascular disease risk factors following 20 weeks of a combined treatment of cognitive-behavior therapy for depression and behavior modification for weight loss. Participants will be assigned to one of three treatments: 1) cognitive-behavior therapy for the treatment of depression combined with an alternative approach to weight loss, 2) a weight loss intervention combined with a depression support and education , or 3) cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression combined with a weight loss intervention.
This study is designed to look at that involvement of a process in the brain called the glutamate system in depression. Participants will undergo a screening session, up to two fMRI scans, and up to three PET scans, as well as cognitive testing at each scan session. For one of the PET scans, a drug (either ketamine or n-acetyl cysteine) will be administered. Hypothesis 1: The investigators hypothesize administration of ketamine or n-acetylcysteine (NAC) will lead to a decrease in mGluR5. Hypothesis 2: The investigators hypothesize an improvement in memory and attentional skills after drug challenge. Hypothesis 3: The investigators hypothesize an increase in mGluR5 availability and change in MRI measures post drug challenge as compared to baseline, signifying synaptogenesis. Hypothesis 4: We expect there should not be a significant difference in reduction in mGluR5 availability due to differences in ABP688 radiotracer infusion.
This study will examine the effects of a first-line treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), among men and women prisoners.
The research will first examine data obtained from YRI participants to investigate effects of the group sessions on psychosocial and functioning outcomes in youth. In pursuit of this aim, this research will investigate the following hypothesis: Participation in the Youth Readiness Intervention will reduce symptoms of internalizing, externalizing, trauma-related symptoms, and improve prosocial skills and functioning among war-affected 15-24 year olds in Sierra Leone. The research also intends to examine whether youth enrolled in a psychosocial "Youth Readiness Intervention" (YRI) and a complementary education program fare better than an education-only control group, a psychosocial-only control group, and a waitlist control group. In pursuit of this second aim, this research will investigate the following hypothesis: A combined psychosocial-education program is an effective paradigm for improving psychosocial, functional, educational, and economic self-sufficiency outcomes among war-affected youth.
GLYX-13 is a NMDA receptor glycine site partial agonist being studied in subjects with major depressive disorder (depression) who have responded inadequately to another antidepressant drug during the current episode. This trial will assess the effects of GLYX-13 on depression when added to another antidepressant drug that the patient is already taking.