Active clinical trials for "Depression"

The present study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for pregnant women with depressive symptoms.

Non-invasive brain stimulation therapies have been increasingly investigated in recent years as a treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly mood disorders. They are particularly appealing since many patients are either refractory or present side effects to standard pharmacological regimens. TDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation). a novel non- pharmacological brain stimulation technique, might help in overcoming some of these issues, since it has low cost, high portability and it is relatively easy to use. TDCS consists in applying a weak, direct current through two electrodes placed over the scalp; the anode and the cathode increasing and decreasing cortical excitability during and beyond the period of stimulation. It is also a safe technique with only mild adverse effects described. Previous studies, some of them from our group, have described that tDCS is an effective technique for major depression. However, the role of tDCS as a treatment for bipolar depression (BD) has been insufficiently investigated. Therefore, our aim is to address the antidepressant effects of tDCS in BD in a randomized, sham- controlled trial in a refractory sample.

Maternal depression is a pervasive problem that disproportionately affects low-income mothers. The effects of depression on mothers and their parenting result in many negative outcomes for children, particularly in terms of school readiness. The proposed research will build on a successful partnership between the University of Southern California School of Social Work (USC) and Children's Institute, Inc. (CII) to implement and evaluate an evidence-based intervention, interpersonal psychotherapy for group (IPT-G), for Head Start mothers with depression or dysphoric mood with the goal of reducing their depression and promoting positive changes for both mothers and children. The objectives of the study are: (1) adapt IPT-G for a Head Start population of mothers with depression; (2) implement IPT-G via a randomized controlled trial in Head Start centers in Los Angeles County operated by CII; (3) evaluate the effects of the intervention on maternal depression, parenting behaviors, goal-directed behavior, interpersonal relationships, physical health, and child behavior and school readiness; and (4) develop a manual for use of the intervention in Head Start and disseminate findings nationally. The study will feature 2 groups of 60 mothers each, randomized by Head Start site; one will receive the intervention and the other services as usual. Outcomes for both mothers and children will be tracked for 2 years after the intervention, allowing for the evaluation of short- and long-term effects. The intervention will be delivered by Head Start mental health workers under the supervision of Scott Stuart, a national trainer of the intervention. This intervention has the potential to be a low-cost, high-impact intervention that can be replicated to other Head Start sites across the country to improve the lives of Head Start children and families.

A total of 384 patients suffering from chronic depressive disorder will be randomized to receive treatment as usual, CBASP, or befriending for a period of five months. The primary outcome is change in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale. Secondary outcomes include changes in self-reported psychiatric symptoms, biomarkers determined from venous blood samples, and neurophysiological parameters. The data gathering is performed at pre- and post intervention stages (i.e., at baseline and at five months). A follow-up questionnaire is sent to the participants six months after the intervention.

The objectives of this 10-week study are to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of AVP 786 as an adjunctive therapy compared with placebo in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have shown an inadequate response to standard antidepressant treatment. A secondary objective of this study is to assess the pharmacokinetics (PK) of AVP-786 and potential correlations with pharmacodynamic effects.

Falls are the leading cause of injury---related hospitalization and death in the elderly. As such, fear of falling (FOF) is common among senior populations and often leads to activity avoidance, social isolation, and reduced physical and mental health. Risk of falls is particularly concerning for individuals suffering from late life depression (LLD) as both depression and antidepressant treatment have been shown to be linked to gait impairments, a strong predictor of fall risk. Currently, our team is conducting a study to examine the effects of a non---pharmacological mind---body therapy commonly known as automatic self---transcending meditation (ASTM) on autonomic and mood---related symptoms of LLD. This study provides a timely opportunity to explore the intricate relationship between gait disturbances and depression severity, as well as the potential benefits of ASTM intervention on gait and FOF in seniors. Using a GAITRite® portable walkway, measures of stride length and gait velocity will be obtained for seniors in the ASTM and control study arms every four weeks for the duration of the ASTM program. The aim of this study is to answer the following research questions: are gait impairments and depression severity correlated, and does ASTM training have any effect on gait and FOF? The results of this study could not only provide insight into the physical manifestations of depression but if ASTM training is found to improve gait and reduce FOF then there is potential to use this mind---body meditation technique as an adjunct therapy to reduce fall risk in seniors with LLD. Furthermore, future research could expand upon these findings to examine the benefits of ASTM on gait impairments secondary to other psychiatric illnesses.

To assess the efficacy of vortioxetine (10 to 20 mg/day) as adjunctive treatment to stable selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) dose versus stable SSRI monotherapy on cognitive performance (focusing on the aspect concerning speed of processing, executive functioning and attention) in patients who are in partial or full remission from their Major Depressive Episode (MDE).

The purpose of this study is to see how well a treatment called "Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation" works for patients who struggle with symptoms of both posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pain treatment can reduce symptoms of depression in patients suffering from dementia and depression. Depression is commonly diagnosed in patients with dementia. If the investigators find a reduction in depressive symptoms when pain treatment is applied, this will support the hypothesis that undiagnosed pain may present itself as depression in patients with dementia.

This pilot, open label investigation evaluates the safety and efficacy of a new form of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Both the efficacy and adverse cognitive effects of ECT are highly contingent on the intracerebral current paths and current density of the ECT stimulus. However, the impedance of the skull and individual differences in skull anatomy severely limit the spatial targeting of stimulation, and create marked individual differences in intracerebral current density. To address these problems, the investigators are exploring various means of overcoming this limitation. An approach is to modify the electrical stimulus to induce focal seizures. The most common methods of ECT administration in the US use a bidirectional, constant current, brief pulse, with large (approximately 3 sq. in. surface area) and identically sized and shaped electrodes. In contrast, in this protocol the investigators have coupled unidirectional current flow with an electrode geometry involving a small and large electrode that differ by more than 3:1 in surface area. Unidirectional currents were widely used in ECT during the, 1940's and continue to be used in European and American devices today. Transcranial electrical stimulation can be made focal by stimulating with an anode-cathode arrangement, with the electrodes differing in surface area. The investigators have shown in nonhuman primates the capacity to produce focal frontal seizure induction under conditions when a unidirectional current flows from a small anterior anode (placed on the forehead over the nasion) to a large posterior cathode just anterior to the motor strip. Furthermore, the investigators expect that some, if not all, of these seizures do not result in motor convulsions. Thirty outpatients referred for ECT will participate. Relative to concurrent reference data from our ongoing ECT protocols, the investigators hypothesize that acute and subacute adverse cognitive effects of FEAST will be substantially less than those in patients receiving state-of-the art ECT, but with a traditional bidirectional, nonfocal stimulus. The investigators also hypothesize that the majority of patients will remit with FEAST. Thus, by improving the efficiency of the ECT stimulus with the switch to unidirectional current and the use of a new electrode geometry, the investigators expect to be able to induce focal seizures. The investigators hypothesize that this pilot study will provide evidence that this treatment is superior to traditional ECT in having lower dosing requirements and a superior side effect profile.