Active clinical trials for "Depressive Disorder"

This 12-week study will evaluate the effectiveness of sertraline (Zoloft®) for treatment of depression associated with small vascular lesions in the brain (vascular depression).

This study will examine how the brains of depressed people function during learning and respond to feedback. Participants perform a "probabilistic reversal learning task" to determine whether depressed people perform worse on a task than non-depressed people when they sometimes receive misleading negative feedback. Right-handed healthy volunteers, people with major depression who are currently depressed or have previously been depressed and people with bipolar depression between 18 and 50 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical and psychiatric history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, blood and urine tests. They are also interviewed to evaluate mood, sleep, energy, work and school performance, and social relationships, and asked to answer questions to investigate whether any history of paranoia, panic attacks, obsession, compulsions, suicidal thoughts, eating disturbances, and alcohol or drug abuse is present. They complete rating scales for depression, anxiety, and negative thinking; history of alcohol and tobacco use; physical movement; socioeconomic status; overall level of functioning; and depression type. Finally, they undergo a battery of neuropsychological tests to assess general intelligence, handedness, and specific cognitive abilities, including memory and concentration. Participants perform the probabilistic reversal learning task either in a testing room seated in front of a computer or lying down while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). FMRI is a diagnostic test that uses a strong magnet and radio waves to obtain pictures of brain structure and function. For the scan, the subject lies on a narrow bed with a plastic-encased metal coil close to the head. The bed slides into the scanner - a small tunnel about 6 feet long. All subjects, whether in the testing room or in the MRI scanner, undergo the learning task as follows: Two patterns are presented on a computer screen. One pattern is designated "correct" and the other "incorrect." Subjects are asked to choose the correct pattern on each try and are provided feedback as to whether the response was right or wrong. Sometimes the rule changes, and the pattern that was correct is now wrong, and vice versa, so that the new correct pattern must be chosen. In addition, misleading feedback is sometimes given intentionally, indicating the subject chose the wrong pattern when in fact the response was correct. Subjects should change their response only when they are sure that the rule has changed, and not because they were incorrectly told that they were wrong. For patients undergoing MRI, blood flow in the different areas of the brain is measured during the test. After the test, outside the scanner, participants undergo additional tests of attention, memory, and concentration like those that were administered during the screening procedures.

In this study researchers would like to learn more about the low levels of bone mineral density seen in approximately half of women in their forties diagnosed as currently having or previously had depression. Bones are always undergoing a process of building (formation) and breakdown (resorption). This process is referred to as bone remodeling. When more bone is formed than resorbed, the density (level of calcium) in bone increases and the bones become stronger. However, if more bone is resorbed than formed the density of bone decreases and the bones become weak. This condition is called osteoporosis. It is unknown if women with depression have decreased bone mineral density as a result of too much breakdown of bone or not enough building. It is important to know the cause of low bone mineral density because it will influence the way a patient is treated. Medications like bisphosphonates are used when there is too much bone breakdown. Growth hormone replacement can be given in cases where there is not enough bone production. Presently, bone biopsy and a procedure known as histomorphometry can determine what processes are going on in bones. Researchers have decided to use a sample of bone (biopsy) from part of the hip bone (iliac crest). In addition, researchers will collect a sample of bone marrow (the soft tissue found in the center of bones) to tell them more about the biochemical, cellular, and molecular processes that may be contributing to the problem of decreased bone density in depressed premenopausal women.

Children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS are living well beyond life expectancy that was projected for them in the recent past. Little is known about the psychosocial variables that coincide with long-term survival of HIV/AIDS. This longitudinal study examines the psychosocial factors and adaptive coping strategies associated with long-term survival of HIV/AIDS in children and how these factors change over a period of two years. In addition, data is being collected from the primary caretakers on their own psychological well-being as will as their perceptions of their child's adjustment and coping. Participants include children who have been infected (either perinatally or through transfusion) for at least eight years and who were aware of their diagnosis.

Depression is a common condition and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Preventing or delaying the onset of depression is an important way to reduce the burden of depression. Some research suggests online methods may be effective in preventing depression, but to date, few studies have looked at the application of these methods in the UK. This study aims to assess the effects of an online self-help intervention (Moodbuster) on preventing depression in a primary care population, who are experiencing mild-moderate symptoms of depression, but do not meet the threshold for diagnosis. A randomised control design with a six-month and nine-month follow up will be used to compare Moodbuster to a wait-listed control group. Then, a qualitative process evaluation will be used to understand the barriers and facilitators of implementing the intervention. Eligible participants in Greater Manchester (individuals with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, who do not have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and have access to the internet) will take part in a 6-week online self-help programme, accompanied by three telephone calls with a trained researcher to support them in their use of the programme. Researchers will follow-up with participants six and nine months after starting the programme to measure depression, anxiety, quality of life, and use of services. The process evaluation will involve qualitative interviews with participants and focus groups with practitioners who referred individuals to the study. This study will assess the effects of Moodbuster on preventing depression and barriers and facilitators of implementing such an intervention in a UK primary care population. It is hypothesised that the intervention group will display reduced depression symptoms and incidence, reduced service use, and improved quality of life, and the intervention will be acceptable to a UK primary care population.

This is an observational case-control add-on study to an investigator-initiated clinical trial (IICT) (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03167307): Omega-3 fatty acids as firstline treatment in pediatric depression. A 36-week multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized superiority study. This project will recruit a healthy control group matched for age and sex to a sub-group of patients with diagnosed pediatric major depressive disorder (pMDD) enrolled in the IICT. The aim is to investigate the relationship of n-3 FA intake and status with mental health in children and adolescents with and without diagnosed pMDD, and explore potential biochemical mechanisms underlying this relationship by measuring biomarkers related to n-3 FA metabolism, mental health and cognitive function.

The purpose of this research is to assess the feasibility of administering a telephone-based intervention to treat depression and anxiety in Hispanic cancer survivors.

The current study seeks to investigate the acceptance of the use of a smartwatch in an internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based intervention for depression.

Insufficient community-based support after inpatient discharge for persons with serious mental illnesses (SMI) may lead to re-hospitalization, excessive criminal justice involvement, homelessness, and an inability to embrace recovery. In fact, many of these especially vulnerable persons find themselves in a cycle of repeated hospital stays, arrests, and even homelessness, with little support for real recovery. Public mental health systems are struggling to address these problems. Evidence-based, comparatively inexpensive, time-limited community support models are needed to reduce institutional recidivism and facilitate recovery. The Georgia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-GA) developed Opening Doors to Recovery (ODR), and we have collected extensive preliminary data on it. ODR is now being tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) taking place in southeast Georgia where ODR was first developed. The primary goals of ODR are to prevent institutional recidivism (i.e., going back into the hospital) and to promote recovery among persons with SMI like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The ODR intervention is comprised of several components that work together to address barriers to successful integration into the community among individuals with SMI and repeated inpatient hospitalizations. A team of 3 specially trained "Community Navigation Specialists" (CNSs, also called Navigators) provides intensive, mobile, community support to persons with SMI with a defined history of inpatient recidivism (i.e., repeated hospital stays). We are carrying out a fully powered trial of ODR in a 7-county catchment area in southeast Georgia, which is an ideal real-world location to carry out the study. During the 5-year study period, we will randomize 240 persons with SMI and a history of ≥2 inpatient stays in the past 12 months to ODR (n=120, followed for 12 months, with a maximum CNS caseload of 40) versus community care in traditional intensive case management or case management (ICM/CM, n=120). Assessments are conducted at baseline (just before hospital discharge), and at 4, 8, 12, and 18 months.

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by inability of the heart to pump an adequate amount of blood. Heart failure affects patients' ability to carry out even simple activities of daily living and therefore has negative psychological impact. Many studies reported that depression is prevalent among HF patients and it is being associated with high morbidity, mortality and costs. The European Society of Cardiology guidelines stresses the importance of routine depression screening with a validated questionnaire and initiating treatment for depression for all depressed HF patients and their access to psychological treatment. The community heart failure nurses provide the integrated heart failure service in the local area of Southwark and Lambeth in South London. The aim of the integrated heart failure team in the community is to provide the HF treatment effectively, help patients understand and manage their symptoms and support with lifestyle changes. Even though, the community HF nurses have extensive role in managing HF patients in the community, their role in assessing anxiety and depression; and providing psychological treatment needs to be further explored. Therefore, there is a need to assess the process by which community HF nurses assess and manage anxiety and depression. This current study builds on our recent systematic review which illustrated how cognitive behaviour therapy is effective at improving depressive symptoms in HF, but more studies are needed to build on these findings. The findings from this review will be used to examine the perspectives on assessing, managing and treating depression and anxiety in HF patients. In this current study, an online focus group with community heart failure nurses and qualitative telephone/online interviews with community-based HF patients will be undertaken to explore their views and experiences in managing depression and anxiety; and to assess whether COMPASS a web-based intervention would be useful. Also, this study will explore the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological wellbeing of community-based HF patients.