View clinical trials related to Unipolar Depression.
Filter by:The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the antidepressant response of escitalopram 30mg/day or escitalopram 20mg/day + pindolol, a beta blocker, is different (faster) compared to a standard dose of escitalopram 20mg/day.
Background: - Researchers studying new treatments for major depressive disorder are looking at how medications to treat depression act on the brain chemical serotonin, which interacts with specific serotonin receptors on brain cells. New methods of studying serotonin receptors in the brain may help provide a better understanding of depression and treatment options. - A new radioactive chemical called [11C]CUMI may be useful for studying serotonin receptors in the brain. By using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to see how [11C]CUMI bonds with serotonin receptors, researchers will investigate whether [11C]CUMI can be used to study depression and how antidepressant medications work. Objectives: - To determine the usefulness of [11C]CUMI as a method of studying serotonin receptors in the brain. Eligibility: - Healthy individuals between 18 and 65 who have no history of psychiatric illness. Design: - This study requires 8 outpatient visits to the NIH clinic. - Visit 1: Participants will have a full physical examination and medical history, as well as a psychiatric evaluation and questions about alcohol and drug use. Other tests will include blood and urine samples and an electrocardiogram (EKG). Testing will take approximately 3 hours. - Visit 2: Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to evaluate brain function and activity. - Visit 3: Participants will have a PET scan, in which a small amount of the radioactive chemical [11C]CUMI will be injected through an intravenous (IV) catheter, and will have another IV line put in place to draw regular blood samples during the scan. The scan will last approximately 4 hours. - Visits 4-8: Participants will have regular blood tests after the scan between days 1-3 and at about weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4. The blood tests will check muscle, heart, and liver function.
Activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system is monitored using saliva cortisol sampling during the antidepressant treatment with amitriptyline and paroxetine in moderately to severely depressed patients. Additionally, serum and plasma are sampled during the 5-week study period in order to study endocrine and metabolic parameters.
The purpose of this study is to investigate, if exposure-based cognitive therapy (EBCT) is at least as effective as the established cognitive-behavioral therapy and more effective in its long-term efficacy. Moreover the mechanisms of change of the EBCT are investigated.
This pilot study may yield important research findings on how to adapt exercise treatment for depression among adolescents. Potential public health benefits from this study include a reduction of adolescent depression and problems associated with untreated depression in young adults including suicide, substance abuse, cigarette smoking, teen pregnancy, impaired psychosocial functioning and school failure. In addition, because this study prescribes physical activity as a treatment for depression, additional public health benefits may include a reduction in chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, all of which are associated with sedentary behavior.
In treatment-resistant depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been shown to effectively reduce depressive symptoms, though the underlying neurobiological mechanism is still unclear. The serotonergic system, and in particular the inhibitory serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) receptor, appears to be significantly involved in the effectiveness of ECT. The aim of the study is to assess the effects of ECT on the 5-HT1A receptor binding potential (BPND) and distribution in humans in vivo using positron emission tomography (PET) and the radioligand [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635. 12 patients suffering from severe, therapy-resistant unipolar depression will undergo 3 PET scans, two of these scans taking place before the ECT treatment, consisting of 6-14 ECTs, the third scan taking place after the ECT treatment. This imaging study hypothesizes that upon completion of the ECT, the overall 5-HT1A receptor BPND in the brain of depressed patients will significantly change. This study would be the first to demonstrate an effect of electroconvulsive therapy on the 5-HT1A receptor binding in humans in vivo. Given the involvement of the 5-HT1A receptor in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, the present study would be an important step towards a better understanding of antidepressant treatment and treatment response. By comparing treatment effect and the underlying biological mechanism, the study might help to identify biomarkers that distinguish patients who are likely to benefit from ECT from patients who will rather be non-responders. Finally, by investigating the role of the 5-HT1A receptor in ECT, is highly discussed relevance for antidepressant action will be further elucidated and might prepare the ground for new therapeutic strategies.
This treatment pilot study will investigate clinical efficacy and adverse effects of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) in patients currently experiencing a unipolar or bipolar depressive episode. The investigators will perform add-on tests to assess clinical and cognitive response to treatment. It is hypothesized that MST will have an antidepressant efficacy with a beneficial neurocognitive adverse effect profile.
This study is intended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine as an antidepressant augmentation agent in a sample of individuals with major depression and a history of both prior non-response and prospective failure to respond to at least one adequate trial of an antidepressant (for a total of two failed trials).
The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of add-on therapy with repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and venlafaxine in the treatment of major depressive disorders compared to venlafaxine only (the optimal medication) and to rTMS only.
This study is designed as a prospective, multi-centered, double-blind, randomized, controlled 12-month pivotal study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the ANS Libra® Deep Brain Stimulation System for patients with major depressive disorder who have failed at least 4 treatments in the current episode. The primary outcome assessment will occur at 6 months: however, all patients will be followed for 1 year. A total of 201 patients will be randomized from up to 20 sites. Each potential patient will be pre-screened according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A narrative of what study participation entails, will be used to educate potential participants on study requirements. Prior to on-site baseline evaluations, the patient will sign the informed consent. Patients will then undergo 3 baseline evaluations, with each of these evaluations to occur no less than 2 weeks apart from each other. The first 2 baseline visit evaluations will be performed by separate psychiatrists in order to confirm the patient's diagnosis. All patients will be scheduled for surgery, to occur no less than two weeks and no more than 1 month after final baseline evaluation, to implant the ANS Libra® Deep Brain Stimulation system. After device implantation, patients will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups in a 2:1 ratio (Active Treatment Group & Control Group). After system implant (Week 0), the patient will return to clinic approximately 2 weeks after surgery for evaluation and treatment randomization into either Group 1 or Group 2 (Group 1 = Active Treatment Group; Group 2 = Control Group). Patient will then return to clinic for subsequent evaluations at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months, and 1 year post system implantation.