Active clinical trials for "Depression"

Approximately 400,000 live births occur to adolescents in the United States annually. Of the 50% of adolescent mothers who experience depressive symptoms, less than 25% comply with referrals for depression evaluation and treatment due to lack of knowledge of depression symptoms (literacy), negative attitude towards mental health treatment, perception that individuals with depression are stigmatized (subjective norms), lack of understanding of health resources that are available to her and under her control (perceived control), and lack of time. Social media is a promising vehicle to reach and educate adolescent mothers since most adolescent mothers use social media for communication and to search for health information. Based upon the Theory of Planned Behavior, the investigators will target 11 counties in Kentucky with a social media ad campaign that will result in adolescent mothers (n=140) from those counties enrolling in an internet based intervention related to postpartum depression. The previously tested intervention includes vignettes from other adolescent mothers, questions and answers, resources, and an option to enroll in text message service. Before the intervention, after the intervention, and two weeks later the adolescent mothers will complete established questionnaires to determine if the intervention improved attitude and subjective norms towards depression and depression treatment, perceived control and intention related to seeking depression treatment, and the number of adolescent mothers with symptoms of depression who receive depression treatment. Data will be compared to scores on the same instruments from adolescent mothers (n=140) from the control group (18 other counties in Kentucky) that have not been targeted with the social media ad campaign or participated in the intervention. Data from the adolescent mothers in the control group will be collected in partnership with community agencies. The overall purpose of this trial is to test a cost effective and feasible method for reducing the cognitive and emotional barriers to accessing depression treatment in adolescent mothers. The specific aims are to (1) measure the extent to which a social media ad campaign is effective as a recruitment strategy; (2) test the effectiveness of an internet based social marketing intervention on both intention to seek treatment and rates of depression treatment, and (3) examine the dose effect of the intervention.

This research study is being done to gain a better understanding about brain networks that may be involved in depression. The investigators plan to examine how these networks change after the brain is stimulated with "Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation" (TMS). TMS is a way of stimulating the brain in order to mildly activate or mildly suppress different brain areas, and is used to treat some forms of depression. It is hoped that this study will facilitate learning more about the structure and function of different brain areas and the ways that they are interconnected to form networks, both in depressed people and in people without depression. In this research study, the effects of TMS will be measured by obtaining "pictures" of the brain with "Magnetic Resonance Imaging" (MRI) and with "Positron Emission Tomography" (PET). More specifically, this will be accomplished with a combined MRI and PET scanner, which is capable of simultaneously obtaining both MRI and PET images of the brain. This scanning paradigm will allow the assessment of local metabolic changes resulting from TMS (with PET images) and brain network changes resulting from TMS (with fMRI). Changes resulting from TMS between 20 subjects with depression and 20 healthy volunteers will be calculated and will form the main outcome measure.

The primary objective of this study is to test in a randomized controlled trial if aftercare-coordination by phone subsequent to inpatient treatment is an effective aftercare approach in the treatment of depression and anxiety.

This randomized effectiveness trial evaluates a quality improvement intervention aimed at providing access to evidence-based depression treatments (particularly cognitive-behavior therapy for depression and or pharmacotherapy) through primary care for youth ages 13-21, as compared to enhanced usual care. The major hypothesis is that the quality improvement intervention will be associated with improved outcomes, relative to enhanced usual care.

Insulin resistance, a primary component of the metabolic syndrome, is an escalating phenomenon in the United States, and confers an increased risk of depression and mood disorder, particularly in women. The relationship between metabolic and mood disorders may be mediated by endogenous opioid activity in limbic brain regions. We propose to examine affective state and μ- opioid system function in insulin resistant women, and change in response to insulin sensitizing treatment, through the following specific aims and hypotheses: Establish relationship between insulin resistance, affective state, and μ-opioid receptor function. Insulin resistant women will have greater μ-opioid receptor availability at baseline, and a larger response to stress challenge than non-insulin resistant women Insulin resistant women will have greater negative affective state at baseline, and a greater emotional response to stress challenge than non-insulin resistant women. Mediational analyses will reveal that the relationship between insulin resistance and negative affect is mediated by μ-opioid receptor function and neural activation in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens affect-regulating regions. Examine effects of insulin regulation on μ-opioid receptor function and affective state. Improved insulin sensitivity will be accompanied by decreased μ-opioid receptor availability at baseline and a reduced response to stress challenge. Degree of change in baseline receptor availability and response to stress challenge after treatment will correlate with degree of insulin regulation. Improved insulin sensitivity will be associated with improved affective state at baseline, and with a reduced emotional response to stress challenge. Degree of change in affective state and emotional response to stress challenge after treatment will correlate with degree of insulin regulation. Mediational analyses will reveal that the change in affective state after insulin regulation is mediated by change in μ-opioid receptor function and neural activation in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. The expected results would suggest a role for the endogenous μ-opioid system in mediating the relationship between metabolic function and emotional processes.

The primary research question is which of the 2 best known dementia caregiver interventions, the New York University Caregiver intervention (NYUCI) and Resources for Enhancing Caregivers Health Offering Useful Treatments (REACH OUT), is more effective in alleviating depressive symptoms and caregiver burden among Hispanic caregivers in New York City. The investigators hypothesize that the NYUCI will be more effective than REACH OUT in reducing caregiver depressive symptoms and burden among Hispanics because of its focus on family-centered counseling, which is posited to be more important among Hispanic caregivers because of a cultural emphasis among Hispanics on family interactions in interventions. In order to answer the primary question, the investigators will conduct a pragmatic randomized trial comparing the NYUCI vs. REACH OUT in 200 Hispanic caregivers of persons with dementia in the community of Northern Manhattan. The total time of the intervention will be 6 months. Our research question is which intervention, NYUCI or REACH OUT, is better in Hispanic relative (any relative) caregivers of persons with dementia. Our objective is to obtain effectiveness information that will help caregivers and health providers to make decisions about which intervention to choose. Our primary aim is to compare the effectiveness of the implementation of the NYUCI and REACH OUT in reducing depressive symptoms and burden. Our exploratory aims are to examine and compare the predictors of effectiveness of the NYUCI and REACH OUT and to examine additional outcomes such as caregiver stress and physical health, and outcomes related to the person with dementia. METHODS. We will conduct a pragmatic randomized trial of 200 relative caregivers of persons with dementia. Participants will be randomized to the NYUCI or REACH OUT. The total duration of the intervention will be 6 months, with assessments at baseline and follow-up. All interventions and questionnaires will be conducted in both English and Spanish. The study duration will be 3 years. The primary outcomes will be changes in caregiver depressive symptoms, measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale, and in caregiver burden using the Zarit caregiver burden interview.

Fish oil omega-3 supplements provide essential nutrients for brain health and functioning. These nutrients have been proven to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms. They have also been found to be effective and well tolerated in reducing the bad fat accumulation among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)and are using highly active antiretroviral treatment. The role of this nutritional supplement in combating depression among pregnant women who are living with HIV infection has however not been established. Yet, currently, more than 2 million pregnant women are estimated to be living with HIV infection globally. In Kenya, about 9.0% of pregnant women are HIV-seropositive. In this study, it is hypothesized that there is no difference in the levels of depressive symptoms among HIV infected pregnant women who are taking omega-3 fish oil supplements and those taking a placebo. The study will therefore seek to ascertain that taking omega-3 fish oil nutritional supplement has a significant positive effect on depressive symptoms among HIV infected pregnant women, compared to a placebo.

The aim is to evaluate the effects of Internet based Stepped Care on anxiety, depression and health related quality of life in cancer patients with anxiety and depression symptoms, compared to Standard Care, and to evaluate the health-economic effects of the intervention. The investigators also want to examine the development of anxiety and depression symptoms and health related quality of life in cancer patients without initial symptoms. The primary hypothesis is that Internet based Stepped Care (I-SC) is more effective in relieving anxiety and depression symptoms in cancer patients, compared to Standard Care (SC). Secondary hypotheses are that less anxiety and depression symptoms also means improved health related quality of life and that I SC is cost-effective or at least cost neutral compared to standard care. The IT-platform Carebase.se is developed within U-CARE. The platform will be used for delivering of interventions and for collection of all patient reported outcomes. Patients with anxiety or depression symptoms according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale will be randomized to I SC or SC. Patients with no initial anxiety or depression symptoms will be included in descriptive studies. All patients, in the randomized controlled trial and the descriptive study will followed up during 24 months I-SC comprises interactive support (Step 1) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT; Step 2). Step 1 starts directly after randomization and extends over a 24 months period. Step one comprises web-based patient education including psycho-education and easy interventions strategies employed in CBT. Step 1 also includes a FAQ, a discussion board for patients and a personal diary. Project staff (nurses) is responsible for the FAQ and to moderate the discussion board. The nurses will be supervised by a CBT psychologist. They can also turn to other experts in the project group for advices about how to answer patients' questions. Patients with remaining anxiety or depression symptoms at 1, 4 or 7 months after randomization will be offered Step 2. Step 2 comprise conventional Internet based CBT for common psychological concerns. The participants' chooses to work with modules that correspond to prioritized concerns, e.g. anxiety or depression. The CBT is structured and manualized and include conventional treatment methods with homework and weekly contacts with the psychologist. Step 2 extends over a 10-week period.

Project Re-Engineered Discharge (Project RED) has previously demonstrated that patients who received the RED were 30% less likely than patients receiving usual care to access inpatient or emergency services within 30 days of discharge. In this project, the investigators add a new dimension to RED by integrating screening, referral and treatment for depression into the original RED intervention and determining if this enhanced intervention increases the effectiveness of RED in preventing readmissions and controlling costs in the 180 days after discharge for patients with signs of depression.

The primary goal of this single-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects, double-scan, one-visit neuroimaging study is to examine the effects of the hypnotic zolpidem (Ambien®) in individuals who are maintained on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Specifically, levels of the brain chemical GABA will be examined in the anterior cingulate and thalamus, two brain regions that play important roles in mediating some of the effects of depression and sleep-related drugs, respectively. Depressed individuals typically have lower levels of GABA than the healthy population, and antidepressant treatment has been shown to help normalize this neurochemical in conjunction with improved mood. Given that individuals maintained on SSRIs often are prescribed sedative/hypnotics to treat concurrent insomnia, understanding a possible neurochemical interaction between them, whether beneficial or harmful, is important for informing evidence-based treatment strategies to treat the co-morbid patient. Zolpidem's effects on GABA in participants who are maintained on SSRIs will be compared to baseline GABA levels in these individuals (i.e., following placebo administration). Two separate scanning sessions lasting approximately 45-60 min each will take place within one single study visit in order to obtain these measurements using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS). This type of neuroimaging is like an MRI in that it is non-invasive, but it permits us to obtain information about chemicals in the brain. A secondary goal of this study is to compare the subjective drug effects, or how individuals feel, following the intervention. These measures will be used to determine the existence of brain-behavior relationships in order to assess the extent to which modulating GABA with zolpidem has effects on mood states in depressed participants. Collectively, this study will contribute to our understanding of how these drugs exert their effects when one is administered in the presence of the other, and it will demonstrate that imaging is an important tool for informing us about how drug effects in the brain ultimately result in behavior.