View clinical trials related to Major Depression.
Filter by:The purpose of this research study is to learn more about cognitive deficits in people with certain mood disorders. The mood disorders are Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar disorder, depressed type. Cognitive deficits are problems with things like thinking and memory. People with cognitive deficits may have problems concentrating and paying attention. When talking, they may have trouble recalling a word they want to say. They may think slowly and have problems remembering things. These deficits can affect an individual's ability to work and function socially. Cognitive deficits that occur with depression may increase the risk of a relapse of major depressive disorder. We want to study the course of cognitive impairment in subjects as they are receiving treatment for their depression. We want to find out if their cognitive deficits get better, worse, or stay the same. We also want to learn more about a stress hormone called cortisol that is produced in the body. We want to study the relationship between cortisol and cognitive impairment. Recent research has shown that cognitive impairment may be more severe in people who have high levels of cortisol in their blood. We will also measure the levels of a protein in your blood called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF helps the growth of new brain cells. It appears that the growth of new brain cells lessens when people are depressed. Treatment with antidepressant medications may cause BDNF levels to increase and return to normal. We are interested in studying the relationship between BDNF levels and cognitive impairment throughout treatment.
The goal of the study is to validate a biomarker assay for unipolar depression based on serum proteins involved in inflammation, metabolism, and stress response. The study will compare patients with a current major depressive episode to individuals with no history of depression. The hypothesis is that the assay can serve as a diagnostic tool that would be more objective than standard diagnostic questionnaires.
The major goal of this project is to adapt an existing group-based psychosocial program to enhance community functioning in older people with serious mental illness (SMI). The focus of the adaptation is designing and evaluating an individually based rehabilitative program for older people with SMI who either cannot or choose not to access a group program.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been recently FDA approved for the treatment of resistant depression. No accordance exists on which are the involved mechanisms of action and on which stimulation parameters, frequency and side are optimal.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a new disease management model for depression, the Collaborative Depression Management Program (CDMP), designed to improve clinical outcomes and increase depression treatment in general medical settings.
Primary: to identify physiologic indicators of venlafaxine treatment response using quantitative EEG (QEEG) cordance, and to determine if cordance changes are specifically associated with response to venlafaxine; Secondary: to determine if cordance changes early in the course (i.e., prior to improvement in clinical symptoms) of venlafaxine (or another antidepressant if venlafaxine is not clinically indicated for a particular patient) are predictive of later clinical response.
The study will evaluate a unique natural experiment that aims to transform the primary care of patients with depression. The experiment's aim is to cause statewide implementation of an evidence-based care model for depression by changing the reimbursement system and by using an established regional collaborative (the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement) to both facilitate the model's widespread use and certify that medical groups have implemented it. Study hypotheses include the following: 1. Newly treated depressed patients in medical groups that have implemented the new reimbursement and facilitation will report receiving higher rates of best care processes than such patients in these medical groups before implementation. 2. Rates of best care practices reported to be received by newly treated depressed patients two years after each medical group implements changes will be maintained at least at the rate reported by patients one year post implementation. 3. Newly treated depressed patients in medical groups that have participated in the new reimbursement and facilitation will have greater improvement in depression symptoms and work productivity and lower healthcare costs than such patients in groups before participation. 4. Medical group measures of priority for improving depression care, capability to manage change, and practice systems will be predictive of more patient-reported best care processes, both at one point in time and in change over time.
The investigators intend to test in a single center, clinical pilot efficacy study the primary hypothesis that Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) as add-on therapy to a controlled pharmacotherapy is efficacious in the treatment of refractory major depression assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD).
Disturbances in the amino acid neurotransmitter (AANt), gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) function are hypothesized to contribute to the neurobiology of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and insomnia. The principal objective of this project is to use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to provide the first in vivo characterization of cortical GABA levels in individuals with primary insomnia, and to determine whether subjects with MDD, achieving a partial response with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment but still experiencing significant residual symptoms including insomnia, have altered levels of this neurotransmitter. The investigators are also exploring the correlation between cortical AANt levels and abnormalities in sleep parameters in primary insomnia and as a residual symptom of major depression.
The purpose of this study is to explore the changes in metabolic parameters in patients treated with escitalopram for six months for major depression, generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia.