MBCT vs HEP in Patients With Late-Life Depression
Depression in Old AgeCognitive DeclineStudy Design & Recruitment: Phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 200 patients. Participants with a diagnosis of late-life depression (LLD), excluding dementia and other psychiatric comorbidities, will be recruited at three health networks. LLD patients had no earlier depressive episodes before the age of 65. Interventions: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) or Health Enhancement Program (HEP) for 8-weeks, in addition to TAU. MBCT and HEP will have the same group sizes, meeting frequency, and amount of home practice. HEP is a recognized active control where participants learn about diet and exercise, but not meditation.
Examination of Glutamate and mGluR5 in Psychiatric Disorders
Major Depressive DisorderPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder1 moreThis research study is designed to look at the involvement of the glutamate system in depression. Each subject will undergo a screening appointment to determine study eligibility. Thereafter, the study will take 2 or 3 visits depending on schedule availability and will consist of one MRI scan, and PET scan. Subjects will also participate in cognitive testing. Depending on camera time, staff availability and subject schedule, total study participation may last 1-2 months.
Post-Acute COVID-19, Inflammation, and Depression
Post COVID -19 DepressionSingle site, double blind, placebo-controlled, longitudinal study of depression in Subjects with COVID- 19 long haulers syndrome using a 1:1 ratio randomization for a single IV infusion of 6 million cells/kg allogeneic marrow stromal cells (MSCs).
Interleaved TMS-fMRI in Ultra-treatment Resistant Depression
Major Depressive DisorderThis is a study that will recruit patients from the neurosurgery clinic and the regular TMS clinic. It's a smaller study designed to collect brain imaging pre-treatment and then use image guided TMS to treat patient with a one week "accelerated" rTMS protocol using the research TMS machine that is housed in Dr. Sean Nestor's lab. The idea is to examine whether severe treatment resistant depression has a different brain signature than less severe/TRD and whether we can get a therapeutic response from patients that would otherwise undergo neurosurgery or will ultimately undergo neurosurgery.
Prediction of the Therapeutic Response in Depression Based on Neuro-computational Modeling Assessment...
Major Depressive DisorderThis study aims to better understand the mechanisms of action of antidepressants, but also the neural correlates of motivation deficits. One hundred patients with a moderate to severe major depressive episode will be enrolled in this prospective multicenter study. The objective will be to predict the therapeutic response to two first-line antidepressants on the basis of an early neurocomputational assessment of motivation. Antidepressant treatment will be administered as monotherapy after randomization between two drugs: escitalopram and vortioxetine. Patients will undergo six visits and follow-up for one year. The investigators will combine computer modeling and functional MRI to identify motivational deficits and elucidate their brain correlates before initiation, after 7 days and after 6 months of treatment. 36 healthy volunteers will also be included to allow comparison with patients with depression. They will not receive any treatment.
Home-based Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) in Patients With Chronic Tinnitus
TinnitusDepression3 moreThe investigators applied home-based transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) for neuromodulative treatment in patients with intractable chronic tinnitus.
Neurocardiac Predictors of Treatment Response to rTMS in Depression
DepressionTreatment Resistant DepressionHeartbeat is controlled by the brain and is regular but flexible to change in response to environmental and internal stimuli. This feature is known as heart rate variability (HRV). Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with diminished HRV and this is a reflection of abnormal brain function caused by MDD. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a treatment that stimulates specific areas of the brain. The goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that rTMS induces changes in connectivity between the area of the brain stimulated with rTMS and deeper areas in the brain associated to heart rate regulation. 110 patients with TRD will be recruited and will undergo a concurrent TMS-fMRI session before receiving a course of iTBS to the L-DLPFC for 30 sessions at 120% rMT.
Integrated Mental Healthcare Plan for Management of Depression and Self-harm in Pakistan
DepressionSelf HarmAims: To describe the process of developing a feasible district mental healthcare plan (MHCP) for depression, self-harm and suicide prevention, and To describe its enabling intervention packages and components to be delivered at the Basic Health Units in Thatta district. The proposed study will be a pilot implementation with nested qualitative component. The study will also involve situational analysis for proposed study site and Theory of Change workshops with key stakeholders. This study is a replication of the methods used in the development of a district mental healthcare plan in Uganda (Kigozi et al., 2016).
Tackling Postnatal Depression: Culturally Adapted Learning Through Play Plus (LTP+) Intervention...
Postnatal DepressionBy 2030, depression will be the leading global disease burden. Postnatal depression due to childbirth/parenting leads to long-term negative consequences for mothers, their children and their families. The British African/Caribbean communities are worse hit by the unprecedented impact of post-Covid-19-syndromes, leading to an exponential increase in postnatal depression. Yet, the uptake of mental healthcare by British mothers of African and Caribbean origin is low due to limited access to culturally appropriate care. Theories of attachment and cognitivism were innovatively integrated to examine Learning-Through-Play plus (LTP+) intervention for postnatal depression using a pilot randomised controlled trial. The proposed LTP+ is co-developed and ecologically friendly because it is manualised and can be delivered by non-mental health specialists such as trained community health workers who are more culturally knowledgeable. Findings will be disseminated through academic publications/presentations, policy briefs, original animated videos and podcast series laying the foundations for a psychosocial approach to tackling postnatal depression
Positive Feedback vs. No-Feedback Games for Behavioral Change
Major Depressive DisorderLow MoodWe aim to investigate here whether we can develop a reinforcement learning game which provides game-based feedback to encourage positive actions (behaviors) both inside and outside of the game. Does providing positive reward when participants make decisions which are associated with value-based actions (like those in BA) result in different game decisions? We propose that it will increase positive actions in the game. And, secondly, how does it affect short-term behavior (in one week)? We propose that it will increase pro-health activities and may reduce depressive symptoms.