
Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback for Mild/Moderate Depression
Depression MildDepression ModerateThe aim of the study is to compare the effects of the self-regulation (neurofeedback) of the fMRI signal of the prefrontal cortex in depression to ones of more conventional non-pharmacological treatment, primarily, psychotherapy.

Effects of Open-label Placebos on COVID-related Psychological Health
StressAnxiety1 moreThis project aimed to test the efficacy of a telehealth-administered placebo without deception intervention on stress, anxiety, and depression related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were randomized into two groups (open-label placebo vs. no-treatment control). All participants received information on the impact of COVID-19 on psychological health. Participants in the open-label placebo group were instructed to watch an informational video on the beneficial effects of placebos without deception, remotely interact with an experimenter, and take open-label placebo pills twice a day for two weeks. Participants in the no-treatment control group did not receive any intervention. Instead, participants met with an experimenter and reported on their psychological and physical health. The investigators predicted that the placebo without deception group would exhibit substantially reduced stress, depression, and anxiety compared to a no-treatment control group.

Is Reduced Hypoxia Through a Robot Intervention, Associated With Sensory and Emotional Descriptions...
COPDDyspnea4 moreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The Danish Lung Association estimates that 320,000 Danes live with COPD, of which approximately 50,000 with severe COPD. In 2017, records showed that 23,979 admissions in Denmark were related to COPD; of these patients, about 20% were readmitted 2-30 days after discharge. The main symptom is dyspnea, which is often accompanied by anxiety. Primary treatment is; oxygen, bronchiolitis, prednisolone, morfin, NIV, and anxiolytics. Researchers at Hvidovre Hospital have developed an oxygen robot that continuously monitors the patient's SaO2 (oxygen saturation) and automatically administrates the oxygen depending on it. The preliminary results show that patients with robot-administrated oxygen were within defined SaO2 range in 85.7% of the time versus 46.6% when oxygen was nurse-administrated. The research was conducted as a multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)focusing on physiological end-points. There is a lack of knowledge about the patient perspective of treatment with the oxygen robot. The purpose of this study is: 1. To examine the association between robot-administered oxygen and patients' perception of dyspnoea, including the emotional response in the form of anxiety and depression The perspective is to be able to provide a holistic response to whether robot administered oxygen can be a better method of treating and alleviating dyspnoea.

Daily Assessment of Mood and Social Media Behaviors Study
AnxietyStress2 moreThe purpose of this research study is to learn more about social media usage and its relation to emotions, biology, and mental health. Participants will complete daily assessments (5 times a day) over the course of 11 days in which they will report on their social media use, behaviors, and mood. During the first 4 days participants will be asked to continue using social media as typical. In the second half (7 days) participants will be randomized to social media usage groups (0 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hour, 3 hours). There will be mental health and well-being measures provided at the beginning and end of the study. Lastly, to better understand how social media usage effects underlying mechanisms of stress, participants will be asked to provide saliva samples for 3 nights (pre, mid, and post) to assess for basal cortisol levels.

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sage-217 in the Treatment of Adult Participants With Major Depressive...
Depressive DisorderMajorThe purpose of this study to evaluate the efficacy of SAGE-217 in the treatment of participants with MDD.

The Impact of a Combination of Bifidobacterium Longum 35624® and 1714™ Strains in Adults With Irritable...
IBS - Irritable Bowel SyndromeDepression1 moreThis study aimed to assess the impact of consumption of COMBO, a combination product of two Bifidobacterium longum strains, on stress, mood and bowel symptoms in adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Online Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Program for Hong Kong People With Depression
DepressionThe purpose of this study is to develop a culturally and linguistically appropriate online cognitive behavioral intervention program-- with therapist guidance -- for Hong Kong Chinese adults suffering from major depressive disorder with mild to moderate depressive symptoms, and examine the effectiveness of this program in reducing their depressive symptoms and improving their mental health. The 3- and 6-month maintenance effect after 3 months and 6 months will also be tested.

Comparison of Vortioxetine and Desvenlafaxine in Adult Patients Suffering From Depression
Major Depressive DisorderThe purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of vortioxetine versus desvenlafaxine after 8 weeks of treatment in patients that have tried one available treatment without getting the full benefit

Online Delivery of Psychotherapy, Tailored to Patients' Suffering From Mental Health Problems Due...
Mental Health IssueCovid192 moreThe recent COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of individuals social life and its negative consequences on Canadian public health go far beyond the direct overload of the hospital care system. Self-isolation and financial uncertainty can significantly deteriorate individuals' mental health, which is only going to aggravate with prolonged physical distancing strategies. Adding to this is the personal and public trauma of lost lives and soon there will be an unprecedented epidemic of mental health problems with crushing effects on the public health sector and economy. To meet this huge new demand for an already strained health system, there is a need for innovative new approaches that significantly expand the capacity of care delivery. While it may not be possible in the short term to increase the number of mental healthcare providers or the number of hours they work, improving their time spent efficiently might be the solution. Virtual care and online delivery of psychotherapy, shown to be clinically effective, efficient and cost-effective, might be the perfect solution to address the high demand faced now. The investigators aim to establish the first academic online psychotherapy clinic to manage mental health problems secondary to COVID-19. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of treating COVID-19 related mental health issues in this clinic, offering a 10-week, diagnosis-specific, online psychotherapy program. The investigators will use the Online Psychotherapy Tool (OPTT), a secure cloud-based digital mental health platform, developed by the PI, Dr. Alavi. Potentially, this method of care delivery could increase care capacity by four-folds. The findings from this project have the potential to influence clinical practice and policy and increase accessibility to care during COVID-19 pandemic, without sacrificing the quality of care.

Music as an Intervention to Improve Hemodynamic Tolerability of Ketamine in Depression
Depressive DisorderTreatment-Resistant5 moreThe purpose of this study is to assess the impact of music on patients receiving a course of intravenous (IV) ketamine for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), both unipolar and bipolar. The primary outcome is changes in in systolic blood pressure throughout each 40-minute infusion. Secondary outcomes include repeated measures of mood, anxiety, suicidality, and psychological/physical pain. Aspects of the treatment experience, with and without music, will also be explored.