Active clinical trials for "Depressive Disorder"

The purpose of this study is to find out what parts of the brain have increased or decreased activity when people are depressed and how antidepressant medicine changes this activity in depressed patients. The genetic samples collected are to look at variation in a gene (serotonin transporter gene), which affects the functioning of the chemical serotonin in the brain

The purpose of this study is to determine whether women with postpartum major depressive disorder (MDD) will experience a significant decrease in depressive symptoms from baseline over an eight-week treatment intervention with escitalopram (Lexapro). Also, to determine whether women with postpartum MDD will experience a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms.

The main research hypothesis for this study is that, among patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who have responded inadequately to treatment with SSRIs or SNRIs, the degree of improvement, as measured by the change from baseline of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)will be significantly greater among patients treated with EB-1010 (at the dose of 50 mg/day or 100 mg/day) than among those treated with placebo using the sequential parallel comparison design. The secondary research hypothesis for this study is that, among patients with MDD who have responded inadequately to treatment with SSRIs or SNRIs, the degree of improvement in depressive symptoms, as assessed by the MGH Cognitive and Physical Functioning Questionnaire (MGH CPFQ) will be significantly greater among those treated with EB-1010 (50 mg/day or 100 mg/day) than those treated with the SSRI paroxetine.

Study Background and Objectives: In the U.S. the majority of heart disease deaths are in women, not men. Much of the gender disparity in CVD rates relate to the burden of CV risk in women after the menopause. Depression has been associated with an increased risk for CVD morbidity and mortality. Even histories of recurrent depression in euthymic individuals are associated with elevated CV risk. Understanding the depression-CVD link may have particular relevance for women since women experience depression at a rate twice that of men. Substantial convergent evidence indicates that ovarian failure (estrogen deprivation) is one likely mechanism contributing to both CVD and depression in women. The perimenopause, a time associated with a two-fold increase in rates of depression, may provide an ideal opportunity for studying the pathophysiology of CV risk and depression in women. The primary objective of this study is to examine the prophylactic role of estradiol in the development of depressive symptoms and the progression of cardiovascular risk in perimenopausal women with or without histories of depression. The investigators predict that women susceptible to depression will be particularly vulnerable to the acceleration of CVD in the context of the perimenopause and, consequently, will show differentially greater benefit of estradiol treatment during the menopause transition for both indices of CV risk (e.g. inflammation, endothelial function, stress reactivity), as well as depressive symptoms.

Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety and Depression (BehTA-D) is a research study for anxiety and depression in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). The research clinicians try to teach skills that may help participants cope with anxiety and depression in the context of Parkinson's disease. Research clinicians will also discuss ways improve management of Parkinson's symptoms. Other skills taught include how to relax, change thinking, add in meaningful pleasant activity.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the speed of the clinical antidepressant action of citalopram can be accelerated by administering double doses of pindolol (15 mg/day, tid) which presumably should lead to increased 5-HT1A autoreceptor occupancy.

The overall objective of the project is to develop and assess the feasibility of a brief, practice-friendly approach to psychotherapy for children, entitled Behavioral and Affective Skills in Coping (BASIC) and designed for use as a first step toward evidence-based practice by practitioners in clinical service settings.

The objective of this study is to compare the impact of i) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) combined with exercise, ii)CBT combined with euthymic therapy, and iii) 'Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy' (CBASP) on psychometric and immunological measures in patients with major depression.

Harley and colleagues demonstrated that adding Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills-groups and therapist consultation to treatment as usual successfully reduced symptoms of depression. The present study will expand upon these findings. Second, DBT is not known for reducing suicidal ideation (SI), a major risk factor for suicide . The present study will tailor the aforementioned skills-groups to specifically target suicidal thoughts and behaviors through Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) strategies aimed at increasing problem-solving deficits, hopelessness, and negativistic thinking. Third, the present study will extend this DBT-based approach to a novel population. Fourth, the present study is the first DBT intervention to employ state-of-the-art multi-method measurement (including objective assessment) of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The investigators hypothesize that participants in the DBT skills (DBT-S) group will show improvements in level of suicidality as measured by decreased scores on the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation as compared with participants in the Wait List-Treatment as Usual (WL-TAU) group.

The purpose of the study is to investigate whether eight weeks of treatment with flexible doses of Bifeprunox is superior to treatment with placebo in depressed patients with bipolar disorder.