
An Internet-based Program for Prevention and Early Intervention of Adolescent Depression
DepressionMajor depression is a highly prevalent and severe mental disease. Interventions based on information and communication technologies (ICTs) generate innovative opportunities to prevent and to intervene early the depression in adolescents. In Colombia, there are few preventive mental health interventions scientifically oriented and seeking to demonstrate efficacy in context. The purpose of this study is to determine whether an internet-based program is effective to prevent and to intervene early the depression in adolescents between 13 and 19 years of age in 8 schools of the Antioquia Region, Colombia . Study design: A cluster-randomized clinical trial will be carried out with 600 adolescents. The efficacy, adherence, and acceptability of the internet-based program will be evaluated. A single-blind randomized controlled trial will be conducted with two arms, the intervention arm (n=300), which will receive an internet-based program for depression, and the TAU (Treatment As Usual) arm (n=300).

Adapted and Translated, Adolescent Depression, Internet Intervention
Adolescent - Emotional ProblemObjectives : The key objective of this study is to develop new interventions that addresses the diverse needs and circumstances of Hong Kong adolescents with depressive symptoms in community settings. Collaboration between medical professionals and social workers may prevent the occurrence of depression and misguided attempts to self-treat with alcohol and / or drugs in our adolescents. Methods : To address this intervention gap in the United States, Dr. Van Voorhees, a research collaborator of Dr. Chim and Dr. Ip, developed and conducted a phase 2 clinical trial of a primary care internet-based depression prevention intervention (CATCH-IT, Competent Adulthood Transition with Cognitive Behavioral Humanistic and Interpersonal training). It has been observed clinically that the strategy could reduce depressed mood, increased social support and reduced depressive episodes at 12 month follow-up. The investigators now propose to study if an adaptation of the CATCH-IT website for Hong Kong Chinese adolescents may lead to significant reductions in depressed mood. In this pilot trial, the investigators propose to test the efficacy of the Adapted and Translated version of CATCH-IT (AT-CATCH) against the placebo approach in preventing the onset of depressive episodes in a group of adolescents (aged 13-17) who have depressive symptoms, but have not developed depression yet.The case group will have access to the AT-CATCH website while the control group will only be allow to use the anti-smoking website. The investigators hypothesize that compared to youth in the control group, youth assigned to the AT-CATCH group will have a lower hazard ratio of major depressive episodes and decreased alcohol / drug use frequency over 2 years. Moreover, compared to youth in the control group, youth in the AT-CATCH program will demonstrate a steeper slope of improved symptoms through growth curve analysis and fewer depressed days over the study period.

Internetbased Relapse Prevention for Partially Remitted Depression
DepressionThe main purpose of the study is to test whether Internet-based relapse prevention plus medication has a better protective effect compared to medication only, for persons with residual depressive symptoms who are currently in paid employment or in education. We hypothesise that during the two years following the intervention: The persons in the group receiving Internet-based relapse prevention plus medication will be absent from work for fewer days due to sick-leave compared to those in the medication-only group. Fewer persons in the group receiving Internet-based relapse prevention + medication will experience long term sick-leave (60 days or more) compared to those in the medication-only group. The persons in the group receiving Internet-based relapse prevention plus medication will suffer fewer depressive relapses compared to those in the medication-only group. At follow-up, the persons in the group receiving Internet-based relapse prevention plus medication will have higher health related quality of life and lower levels of depressive symptoms compared to those in the medication-only group.

Peri-operative Psychology and Post-operative Pain Study
SurgeryPain2 moreThe experience of pain is common among hospital inpatients. Orthopaedic surgery often results in significant pain, which may last for some time. About one in eight people will experience long-term or chronic pain after surgery, which can impact on quality of life and mood. Some risk factors are known for chronic post surgical pain (CPSP) and these include patient factors, surgical factors and anaesthetic factors. We know that mood problems (anxiety and depression) increase the risk of CPSP. What is not known is how short term changes in mood are related to the experience of pain after surgery and how this impacts on CPSP. This study is designed to investigate the relationship between both short and long-term mood problems and short and long-term pain and quality of life after orthopaedic surgery. The study will provide valuable information to allow us to design a psychological intervention, which might reduce the risk of short-term post surgical pain and CPSP. This study also aims to measure a number of other variables, which may be related to CPSP including medication use, other medically unexplained symptoms and catastrophic thinking in response to pain. All patients having planned orthopaedic surgery will be asked to enter the trial. Those consenting to involvement will complete a questionnaire assessing the variables described above. They will be divided into two groups depending on whether they have significant pain on the day after their surgery. As the primary aim of the study, the rates of significant anxiety or depression will then be compared between these two groups. Secondary outcomes will be assessed by a questionnaire sent to the patients at 6 months after their surgery. Descriptive statistics will be produced for all the variables and use to model a future study, which would assess the effect of a psychological intervention on acute and chronic post surgical pain. Our hypothesis is that patients are more likely to experience acute anxiety and depression or display catastrophic thinking if they suffer significant post-surgical pain. The study is powered to reliably detect a three-fold difference in the prevalence of psychopathology between patients with and without acute pain on day 1 after elective orthopaedic surgery.

The Study of Serum Melatonin Rhythm Levels in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder
Major Depressive DisorderOne of the main points in the biological trends is, the circadian rhythm and disturbance in this cycle, which cause mood disorders and irregularity in this bio clock, to get depression. The pineal gland with the precise regulation of circadian rhythm of melatonin regulates the brain haemostasis. The abnormal function of this gland gives rise to psychiatric disorders. In the period of youth and early of middle-age cause biochemical changes and disturbance in biorhythm including melatonin secretion. This process can change the peak of melatonin phase. In addition, a decrease in the level of serum melatonin, can change the function of immune system of depressed patients. This function facilitates the process of cancerous cell formation and tumor growth. With respect to the conflicting results and that the positive and negative roles of melatonin in the creation of depression is unknown, the aim of this study was to compare the morning and nocturnal serum melatonin rhythm levels in the patients with Major Depressive Disorder. The second purpose was to measure the morning and nocturnal serum melatonin levels in the depressed and healthy men and women.

Quality of Life and Depression in Dialysis Patients
Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5The aim of this study is to evaluate quality of life (QOL) and depression in peritoneal dialysis patients compare to hemodialysis patients and assess hydration effect on QOL and depression over time.

Mobile Phone Sensing and Outreach as Adjuncts to Internet-Based Behavioral Intervention for Depression...
DepressionInvestigators are evaluating the use of phone sensor data to estimate behavior, depression and anxiety.

Immune Patterns in Pain Patients DSM-IV
Somatoform DisordersFibromyalgia4 moreThe purpose of this study is to define subgroups of patients with somatoform disorders due to DSM-IV by immunological, psychological and genetic characterization.

Assessing Pain as a Mediator of Behavior Change in Post-coronary Angioplasty Patients
PainDepressive Symptoms1 moreThe focus of this secondary data analysis is to determine whether pain due to a combination of both cardiac and non cardiac sources operates as a mediator of behavior change, an area that has not been previously evaluated.

Deep Brain Stimulation of Nucleus Accumbens for Chronic and Resistant Major Depressive Disorder...
Major Depressive DisorderRecurrent1 moreDepression is a common, recurrent and disabling disorder. Among patients with a chronic course of the disease, 20 to 30% are resistant to antidepressant medications. Among those patients, 50% would not benefit from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). For such patients, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of nucleus accumbens is considered.