Feasibility and Acceptability of a Smartphone App to Assess Early Warning Signs of Psychosis Relapse...
Schizophrenia RelapseSchizophrenia3 moreAbout 1 in 100 people will experience an episode of psychosis. Some people will only experience one 'psychotic episode' and about a quarter of people make a full recovery. Others will have recurring periods of problems ('relapses'), perhaps at times of particular stress. As people often find psychosis distressing, this study looks at ways to help them stay well in the future. There is growing evidence that 'early signs' interventions can prevent relapses of psychosis. Early signs are things that might happen when people start to become unwell. For example some people start to sleep badly when they are becoming unwell. Most people with psychosis can identify early signs emerging in the weeks before relapse. In early signs interventions, service users are taught to recognise early signs that their mental health may be deteriorating so that they can take action to avoid becoming unwell. Although early signs interventions show promise, the investigators suggest that they can be improved by more accurate assessment of relapse risk. This might be achieved by monitoring 'basic symptoms' in addition to conventional early signs of relapse. Basic symptoms are subtle, subclinical disturbances in one's experience of oneself and the world. Typical basic symptoms include: changes in perceptions, such as increased vividness of colour vision; impaired tolerance to certain stressors; difficulty finding or understanding common words. In this study the investigators want to design and test a mobile phone app to help monitor basic symptoms. They hope that the app might help service users to stay well in the future. During the study the investigators will ask participants to use the app once a week for 6 months. At the end of the study they will interview them about their experiences of using the phone app and participating in the study.
Assessment of Stress Levels and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With COPD
COPDAnxiety State3 moreThe aim of the study was to assess the levels of depression, anxiety and stress in patients with COPD qualified for In-hospital pulmonary rehabilitation program
Youth PHP Pilot Transdiagnostic Treatment Implementation and Effectiveness Study
Emotional DisorderThe purpose of this study is to examine patient effectiveness outcomes of a transdiagnostic treatment for youth emotional disorders, implemented in a partial hospitalization program (PHP). Participants will be youth between ages 6 to 17 and their families, as well as clinicians, participating in the PHP program at Children's Hospital Colorado. Additionally, the research team will study modifications to the transdiagnostic intervention that are required to feasibly and effectively deliver it in a PHP setting.
Prospective Study Evaluating a Novel Mobile App Based Preventive Behavioral Intervention for Perinatal...
Perinatal DepressionPerinatal AnxietyThe primary aim of the study is to investigate whether a novel mobile App-based behavioral intervention in pregnant women can: (1) prevent and/or decrease the incidence of perinatal mood disorders (2) decrease the severity and/or duration of perinatal mood disorders in affected participants (3) increase access of pregnant women to behavioral intervention and support tools (4) increase the satisfaction of pregnant women with their prenatal care.
Effectiveness of NEURAPAS Balance in Children With Nervous Restlessness
NervousnessRestlessness2 morePurpose: To document data on effectiveness of NEURAPAS® balance (NPB) in the treatment of nervous restlessness in children aged 6 to 12. Each patient is treated with NPB. No placebo group is established. Course and severity of symptoms is documented by a questionnaire on 13 common symptoms of nervous restlessness and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). A standardized questionnaire (Parent Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL/4-18)) is completed. Choice and doses of therapy are at the respective physician's discretion. The planned treatment and observation period is 2 - 4 weeks.
Study of the Hypothalmic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis and Its Role in Major Depression
Fatigue SyndromeChronic2 moreMajor depression represents a major public health problem worldwide and in the U.S. Fifteen percent of the U.S. population has depression at some point in life (40 million individuals). The condition is more common in women, occurring at a female to male ratio of 5:2. Presently, 6-8% of all outpatients in primary care meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression. Fifteen percent of untreated patients with depression will commit suicide. Most of the people committing suicide are depressed. Researchers believe that by the year 2020 suicide will be the 10th most common cause of death in the U.S. In addition to mortality due to suicide, depression is also associated with other severe health conditions. Areas of the brain (hippocampus) begin to deteriorate, heart disease, and decreased bone mineral density (osteoporosis) are all associated with major depression. Researchers have believed for years that hormones controlled by the hypothalmus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland (commonly referred to as the HPA axis or system) are in some way associated with psychiatric illnesses like depression. According to previous studies, researchers have theorized that increased activity of the HPA axis is associated with depressed patients with typical melancholic features. Melancholia refers to the feelings of anhedonia (absence of pleasure from activites that would normally be thought of as pleasurable), insomnia (inability to sleep), guilt, and psychomotor changes. On the other hand a decrease in activity of the HPA axis may be associated with the atypical features of depression. This study has already developed and refined studies that have improved the understanding of the HPA axis in healthy humans and depressed patients. Researchers have already identified and plan to continue identifying distinct subtypes of depressive disorders based on the activity of the HPA axis.
Neuroimaging of St. John's Wort-Induced Changes of Serotonin Metabolism in Normal Subjects
HealthyMood DisorderSt. John's Wort is a popular dietary supplement that many people take to elevate mood or relieve stress. This study will test in normal volunteers whether this preparation may alter mood and if so, by what means. Animal studies suggest that St. John's Wort may work similarly to some antidepressants that affect levels of the chemical serotonin in the brain. Participants in this study must also be enrolled in NIMH protocol #98-M-0094 (SPECT Imaging of Dopamine and Serotonin Transporters in Neuropsychiatric Patients and Normal Volunteers) and protocol #91-M-014 (MRI Imaging of Neuropsychiatric Patients and Controls). Separate consent forms are required for each study. Candidates will undergo medical and psychiatric evaluations that may include blood and urine tests, electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram. Normal volunteers will have a mood assessment at the beginning of the study. They will then be randomly assigned to take either placebo (a pill with no active ingredient) or St. John's Wort 3 times a day for 2 weeks, and will be told what they are taking. After an 11-week hiatus, they will again start treatment on the same schedule, but will not be told which preparation they are receiving. Each evening during the 2-week treatment periods, subjects will complete a brief self-rating mood assessment questionnaire. At the end of each treatment period, they will undergo SPECT brain imaging (a type of CT scan) to determine dopamine and serotonin distribution and density in the brain. For this procedure, study subjects take three drops of potassium iodide solution within 24 hours before the scan and two drops nightly for 3 days following the procedure. About 10 ml (less than two teaspoons) of blood are drawn before a radioactive tracer is injected. SPECT imaging is done the next day. After about 1 hour of imaging, subjects are given either a placebo or St. John's Wort, and then imaging continues for another 2 hours. During the procedure, up to five blood samples of 6 ml each may be drawn. At some point during the study, a MRI scan of the brain will be done.
Evaluation of an App for Smartphones for People With a Bipolar Affective Disorder
Bipolar Affective DisorderThe primary objective of the clinical trial is to evaluate the data of an app for smartphones (BiP-App) with regard to sleep, movement, mood and communication behavior. The data will be compared between two groups: people with a bipolar affective disorder and individuals without a psychiatric disorder. Secondary objective of the trial is to investigate if it is possible to detect early warning symptoms of depressive / (hypo) manic episodes via the measured behavior patterns. Furthermore it will be evaluated whether the BiP-app can find applicability in the examined patient group. Study design: Clinical evaluation of a medical device without CE mark; Parallel study design
Testing the Value of Smartphone Assessments of People With Mood Disorders
Major Depressive DisorderBipolar DisorderThe purpose of this study is two-fold: To identify the best smartphone data features (based on keyboard, sensor, voice/speech data) that correlate with mood, anxiety, and cognitive assessments in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar Depression (BD). To identify the best smartphone data features (based on keyboard, sensor, voice/speech at a) that predict relapse and remission in MDD or BD.
Cerebellar Stroke and Mood Disorders
StrokePost-stroke mood disorders (PSMD), including depression, anxiety and apathy, are observed in about 30 % of stroke patients at follow-up 3 or 4 months after stroke occurrence. They impair the functional outcome of the patients and their quality of life. Among the different brain structures involved in PSMD the role of the cerebellum has been under-evaluated while it is now well-known to be involved in mood regulation. The aim of this study will be to describe the characteristics of early and late mood disorders following a first acute ischemic cerebellar stroke using face to face interviews and mobile technologies and investigate their pathophysiological mechanisms through advanced brain Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of cortico-cerebello-cortical morphological and functional connectivity.