Active clinical trials for "Depressive Disorder"

The goal of the proposed research is to examine the neural correlates of depressive symptom reduction in individuals with major depressive disorder using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and to compare results to those obtained from a nondepressed control group.

Disturbances in the amino acid neurotransmitter (AANt), gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) function are hypothesized to contribute to the neurobiology of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and insomnia. The principal objective of this project is to use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to provide the first in vivo characterization of cortical GABA levels in individuals with primary insomnia, and to determine whether subjects with MDD, achieving a partial response with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment but still experiencing significant residual symptoms including insomnia, have altered levels of this neurotransmitter. The investigators are also exploring the correlation between cortical AANt levels and abnormalities in sleep parameters in primary insomnia and as a residual symptom of major depression.

Postpartum anemia (PPA) and Postpartum depression (PPD) are common afflictions affecting women after childbirth. Both disorders have a significant impact on women's health and functional status. Despite common symptoms and characteristics, a link between these entities has not been adequately studied. The objective of this study is to determine whether postpartum anemia is an independent risk factor for the development of postpartum depression. This prospective cohort study will include all women delivered by elective term cesarean delivery. Hemoglobin and iron levels will be measured, standardized questionnaires for assessment of PPD, functional status and lactation will be administered before discharge and at 3 & 6 weeks post partum. Hemoglobin levels at each time point will be analyzed for correlation with depressive symptoms, functional status and lactation success.

The study is designed to answer the following research questions: Evaluate the acceptability of mental health screening and of the instruments used in a sample of community living Chinese seniors; Determine rates of mental health service utilization in individuals identified at screening as having psychological disturbance; Determine if identifying mental illness and informing participants of screening results and with treatment alternatives alters help-seeking pathways. The study hypotheses are: This community sample of Chinese seniors will show a higher prevalence of psychological disturbance than their counterparts in the general population; Emotional well-being will be positively correlated with individuals' physical health and social support network.

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the relationships among findings in structural and functional neuroimaging, cognitive testing and HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis dysregulation in psychotic depression.

This study will evaluate the risks and benefits of treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor in children and adolescents with a pre-specified anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, eating disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The Institute of Medicine has called for studies of "indicated" preventive interventions to reduce the incidence of mental illness in persons already symptomatic but not yet presenting with fully developed clinical syndromes. The investigators' Advanced Center for Interventions and Services Research in Late Life Mood Disorders has embraced the development and testing of preventive interventions as one of its key objectives. The investigators propose to test the following hypotheses related to primary prevention of major depressive episodes in old age, focusing on elderly patients who have symptoms of emotional distress but who are not yet presenting with the full syndrome of a major depressive episode. Hypothesis 1: Problem solving therapy (PST) will be superior to an attention-only control (dietary education) in lowering the two-year incidence of episodes of syndromal major depression in already symptomatic elderly primary care patients. Hypothesis 2: PST will also prevent higher levels of depressive symptoms and associated disabilities, over a two-year period of follow-up.

This study seeks to increase the understanding of dopamine receptor function in the brain during major depressive disorder and bipolar depression, as well as genetic changes that may be behind changes in those receptors' actions. Dopamine is a natural messenger in the brain, involved in reward, motivation, and mood. Volunteers aged 18 to 55 who have primary major depressive disorder and those who have bipolar depression (20 in each group), who are not HIV positive and do not have AIDS, and who are not pregnant or breastfeeding may be eligible for this study. A telephone interview will be held, for patients to answer standardized questions about psychiatric or medical symptoms they may have experienced during their lifetime. Those eligible for the study will undergo interviews and laboratory tests. A psychiatric interview and clinical assessment will collect various data. Patients will undergo the following procedures and tests: A brief neurological examination A one-minute electrocardiogram to measure electrical activity of the heart. Laboratory tests measuring several substances in the blood and urine. Pregnancy test. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will be done to create an image of the volunteer's brain structure. The technique of MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of body organs and tissues. During the MRI scan, volunteers will lie still on a table that will slide into the scanner for 30 minutes and in some cases up to but no more than 90 minutes. Volunteers will be asked to lie as still as possible during the procedure. Then a PET system will create two images of brain blood flow-one of brain dopamine 1 receptor and one of dopamine 2/3 receptor binding. Volunteers will be given a radiotracer, a tiny amount of a drug that can be detected by a special camera in the PET scanner. A tiny flexible tube will be placed in the vein of one arm during each PET scan but during the MRI scan. Volunteers will be asked to lie still on the PET scanner table. A mask with large holes for eyes, ears, and mouth will be placed over the head, to keep the head from moving. After radiotracer injections are given, the PET scanner will create brain images. There may be two PET scanning sessions, each requiring about 3 hours of scanning. During only one of these there will be breaks. At the end of the scanning session, volunteers will be asked to drink several glasses of water and urinate immediately, to reduce radiation exposure to the bladder wall. Genetic screening will help to enhance researchers' understanding of the role of dopamine receptors in depression. A small blood sample, about 2 tablespoons, will be collected, to isolate DNA from blood cells. Some of the blood samples or DNA may be stored for future studies, but those samples will remain coded, so participants will not be identified. This study will not have a direct benefit for participants. However, the results may provide knowledge to help people in the future. This study does involve compensation.

Often women are prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during the perimenopause or menopause. Hormone replacement therapy includes both estrogen and progesterone. The estrogen component of HRT helps to relieve the symptoms and has a beneficial effect on the heart and bones, but estrogen also increases the risk of uterine cancer. The progesterone component of the HRT (progestin) works to prevent the increased risk of uterine cancer. There is evidence that some women experience unpleasant mood symptoms (such as irritability, depressed mood and anxiety) while receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) while taking the progestin / progesterone component of the HRT. This study is designed to evaluate the ability of progestins to produce negative mood symptoms in women. Researchers intend on doing this by comparing the effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) and a placebo inactive sugar pill. Patient's moods will be monitered based on their response to questionnaires answered in the outpatient clinic and at home. This research will attempt to answer the following questions: Are progestins associated with changes in mood during hormone replacement therapy? If progestins are associated with mood disturbance, is it because they are blocking the beneficial effects of estrogen?

The general aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of major depressive disorder and the use of mental health services in the immigrant populations in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile. The hypotheses are: A healthy immigrant effect will be observed in the studied population by which their prevalence of major depressive disorder will be lower than the prevalence in the general Chilean population. A significant association will be observed between the loss of socio-economic position after migration and a greater probability of major depressive disorder. A significant association will be observed between the report of victimization experience(s) in the previous year and a greater probability of major depressive disorder. A significant association will be observed between financial difficulties and a greater probability of major depressive disorder. The sampling framework of the Chilean National Institute of Statistics (INE) from the 2016 Census will be used for the purpose of this research. The sampling units are as follows: Primary sampling units (PSUs): conglomerates or groups of adjoining houses, organized in spatial blocks (200 households on average) Secondary sampling units (SSUs): individual households within each of the conglomerates selected in the first stage Final sampling units: persons meeting the study's inclusion criteria Multi-stage random probability sampling involving a 3-stage sampling design will be used - first, the sampling of the primary sampling units (PSUs); second, the sampling of households within the selected PSUs and finally, the random sampling of a household member. Participants (n=1,100) will then take part in a 45-minute interview. This interview will be a household survey using the modular version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI) looking at exploring a broad spectrum of factors traditionally associated with increased risk of affective disorders: Sociodemographics Finance Variation in socioeconomic position Experience of victimization Discrimination Experience of childhood adversity