Active clinical trials for "Anxiety Disorders"

Research Question: What effect if any does the use of lavender aromatherapy have on a patient's stress and anxiety during the MRI procedure in the Cardiovascular Services Department? Hypothesis: The use of lavender aromatherapy will reduce anxiety by 20% during MRI procedures. MRI cancellations related to stress and anxiety will decrease by 10%. Sample size of 30 patients is needed for the control group and the lavender aromatherapy group, for a total of 60 patients. Rationale: Patients undergoing MRI procedures may experience stress and anxiety related to the small and confining space required during the scan. Anyone with a history of claustrophobia, panic attacks, or fear of enclosed spaces is more likely to experience symptoms of panic, fear, or anxiety during the MRI procedure (Harris, Cumming, & Menzies, 2004, p. 1). This stress and anxiety may cause the patient to abort the scan, the patient may refuse future scans, or the patient's nervous tremors or involuntary quivering may adversely affect the images obtained. Lavender aromatherapy has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety for patients in other settings; however, its use during MRI procedures has not been studied. This project investigates the use of lavender aromatherapy as a non-pharmacological way to help patients relax during their MRI procedure. Lavender aromatherapy has been studied and shown to reduce stress and anxiety for patients in other situations, but it has not been studied during MRI procedures. Lavender is known to be uplifting, as well as soothing and helpful for reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia (Herz, 2007, p. 264). If aromatherapy proves useful as an agent to reduce stress and anxiety, patient satisfaction with their MRI procedure will increase and the need for sedating medication could decrease.

This study will examine the efficacy of a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) program for children with anxiety and autism spectrum disorders.

The study will examine the effectiveness of group metacognitive therapy in comparison with group meditation therapy, in patients with Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Individuals will be randomly assigned to either meditation or metacognitive therapy and undergo 8 group therapy sessions of their respective treatment condition.

Background: - Some children experience a sudden onset of symptoms similar to those found in obsessive-compulsive disorder that may be caused by the body s reaction to an infection with streptococcal bacteria, most commonly seen as strep throat or scarlet fever. When the body s immune system reacts against brain cells following a streptococcal infection, the condition is known as PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections). The immune system response can be inactivated by treatment with a drug known as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Because there is insufficient research on IVIG s effects on the immune system of children with PANDAS, including whether IVIG is helpful in treating obsessive-compulsive symptoms related to PANDAS, researchers are interested in examining whether IVIG is an appropriate treatment for PANDAS and its associated symptoms. Objectives: - To test the safety and effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children with PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection). Eligibility: - Children between 4 and 12 years of age who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (with or without a tic disorder) with sudden onset of symptoms following Group A streptococcal bacterial infections. Design: Participants will be screened by telephone to obtain medical history and other information, followed by in-person screening at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Participants will be admitted to the hospital to receive 2 days of infusions of either IVIG or a placebo. Frequent blood samples, imaging studies, and other tests will be performed during this visit. Six weeks after the inpatient stay, participants will return for further blood samples and other tests. Participants who did not receive the study drug, or who received the drug but did not respond to the initial IVIG infusion, will have the option to receive IVIG at this time. Followup visits will take place 3 months and 6 months after the first evaluation, followed by yearly follow-ups for 5 additional years.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, intensive 1-day psychotherapy group intervention (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT), compared to a 12 week time control group on anxiety symptoms, vascular function, inflammation, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (mSNA), and oxidant stress. Similar measures will be performed at baseline in individuals with low or no anxiety for comparison. Individuals who are interested in the study will be identified by an online screening survey and will be contacted by the research team; advertisements, flyers and mass emails will direct individuals to the online screening survey. Those deemed eligible to participate will be randomized to the ACT intervention or a control group. Assessments of anxiety symptoms (via various surveys) and vascular function (via non-invasive, well-established techniques) will be performed at baseline and 12 weeks post-ACT group intervention session. In addition, reassessment of anxiety symptoms via aforementioned surveys will take place 6 weeks post-ACT group session. After 12 weeks, anxiety and vascular assessments will be repeated to re-evaluate severity of anxiety symptoms, vascular function, inflammation, and oxidant stress.

This study is being conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of memantine Add-On treatment of patients who are currently taking an SNRI or SSRI and who remain anxious and symptomatic despite treatment. Secondary objectives of this study are: •-to evaluate if there is an improvement in disability levels following memantine dosing -to evaluate if there is an improvement in sleep quality following memantine dosing

The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of a 100 mg dose of saredutant compared to placebo in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the efficacy of saredutant on disability and quality of life in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, and to evaluate blood levels of saredutant.

SJW has the greatest evidence of herbal medicine efficacy in treating MDD. In treating anxiety, kava has the greatest evidence of efficacy. As comorbidity of MDD and anxiety commonly occurs, it is conceivable that a combination of an established antidepressant agent such as SJW and an established anxiolytic agent such as kava may effectively treat MDD presenting with comorbid anxiety. It is possible that a beneficial synergistic effect may also occur between SJW and kava, improving the treatment outcomes in MDD with comorbid anxiety, than by the individual substances alone. Determination of this is not addressed in this study due to limitations of time and resources. The determination of the strength of the SJW-kava combination will be ascertained by comparing similar trials using SJW and kava mono-therapy in addressing MDD and GAD. The hypothesis is that a combination of SJW and kava will reduce MDD occurring with comorbid anxiety more than placebo.

The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of an enteric-coated, eicosapentaenoic acid-concentrated fish oil in the treatment of social phobia. A secondary objective is to determine if treatment outcome is related to plasma phospholipid essential fatty acid status, niacin skin flush and measures of lipid/protein peroxidation.

Autism spectrum disorders affect as many as 1 out of 150 children and are related to significant impairment in social, adaptive, and school functioning. Co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, are common and may cause substantial distress and impairment beyond that caused by the autism diagnosis. Although effective interventions have been developed for typically developing youth with anxiety disorders, this approach needs to be adapted for children with autism. Accordingly, we are proposing a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of CBT relative to treatment as usual (TAU) in 46 youth ages 7-11 with autism spectrum disorders and comorbid anxiety disorder(s).