Depression Research Studies

Still Depressed?

Location: Riverside, CA area

Have your antidepressants failed? You may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study of an investigational technology to see if EEG’s can help choose the right medication for you. Qualified participants receive study related procedures, medication, and EEG’s at no charge.

Meet with a doctor within a week of your call. Open Monday-Friday. Must be willing to travel to Wildomar, CA. Located one exit north of Clinton Keith Road off the I-15 freeway.

Qualified participants may receive compensation for time and travel.

Call Elite Clinical Trials at 951-678-1551

Posted: 14 October, 2008

Are you feeling down and depressed?

Age: 18-65
Study Location:   Nashville, TN

Have you lost interest in your daily activities or are you having problems concentrating? Millions are affected by depression. If you are having a recurrent episode of depression, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study.

Clinical Research Associates, Inc is conducting a an 8-week, 8-visit study to evaluate the efficacy and effects on sexual function of two fixed doses of a research medication in combination with Paxil 20 mg. or placebo (an inactive substance) once a day in individuals with major depression.

Qualified participants must:

• be 18-65 years of age
• have a history of depression
• be currently depressed for at least 1 month
• have current episode of depression not lasting for more than two years
• be sexually active

Volunteers will receive a study related medical evaluation, study related medical care and study medication or placebo (an inactive substance) at no charge. Participants will also be reimbursed for time and travel.

For additional information about this research study, visit our website: www.ClinicalResearchAssociates.com or contact:

Recruiting Coordinator
Clinical Research Associates
2222 State Street, Suite D
Nashville, TN 37203
615-329-2222

Posted: 8 July 2008

Having Trouble Sleeping with Depression?

Age: 21-64
Study Location: North Carolina

If you are between the ages of 21 and 64, and have both depression and trouble falling or staying asleep at night, you may be eligible to participate in a research study at the Duke Insomnia and Sleep Research Program. Eligible participants will receive one of three treatments: 1) a depression treatment, 2) an insomnia treatment, or 3) BOTH a depression treatment and an insomnia treatment.

For more information, call Pam Smith at (919) 681-0934

Posted: 11 April, 2008

Psychotherapy for Adolescent Depression

If your adolescent is depressed, you and your adolescent may be eligible to participate in a research study designed to evaluate a psychotherapy for adolescent depression.  Clinicians will provide eligible adolescents with 4 months of free weekly psychotherapy designed to treat the depression by addressing communication skills and interpersonal relationships.  Parents attend some of the therapy sessions, as well.  The study is taking place at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute in northern Manhattan.

For more information, please call Meredith Gunlicks, Ph.D. at (212) 543-5812.

Posted: 8 April 2008

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Study Location: Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY

Age: 18 - 70

Are you currently feeling sad or depressed? If so, you may qualify for a study being conducted by the Social Psychiatry Research Institute (SPRI), which is evaluating the effectiveness of an investigational medication for the treatment of major depression.  This study is 11 weeks in duration with an option for qualifying participants to continue for an additional 52 weeks.  Individuals currently using nicotine patches may not be eligible to participate.  All office visits and study medication will be provided to eligible participants at no cost.  No health insurance is required.  If interested in this study, you can apply online at www.spristudy.com, email us at studyinfo@spristudy.com, or call 1-888-345-7774.

Posted: 28 November 2007

Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Aldolescents with Depression

Recruiting: Adolescents, ages 12-19 (inclusive), both genders, all ethnic/racial groups DSM-IV diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Exclusions:

• Current or past DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar, schizophrenia, psychosis, pervasive developmental disorder or Tourette's disorder.
• Current DSM-IV diagnosis of eating, panic, conduct, obsessive compulisve, post traumatic stress or substance-related disorders (other than nicotine).
• Current suicidal ideation with intent or plan or who may pose a danger to themselves.
• Clonidine taken within 30 days prior to enrollment
• Neuroleptics taken within 90 days prior to enrollment

NOTE: No individual will be advised to terminate ongoing interpersonal therapy or stimulant medication treatment for ADHD.  Such ongoing treatments are not exclusionary, so long as dosage remains stable throughout 10 week study period.

Aim: To provide preliminary clinical data on the efficacy of omega-3FA ( derived from fish oil) in the treatment of adolescent MDD.  Funded by the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Summary: Researchers will obtain a written consent from parent(s) or guardian(s) and subjects 18 years or older, and assent from child.  The study's psychiatrist will conduct a diagnostic evaluation to determine eligibility.  Researchers will also obtain routine blood, urine toxicology and pregnancy tests (for females).  The investigational pharmacy will randomly assign participants to one of two treatment groups: omega-3FA or matching placebo (corn oil) for a 10 week double-blind trial period.  Then, study clinicians will evaluate participants on a weekly basis to adjust dosage based on clinical response and side effects.  At post-study, participants will be referred to a clinician who will inform them of which treatment group they had been assigned and discusses post-study treatment options, including omega-3FA or antidepressant treatments.  For more information, please contact Lev Gottlieb, 212-263-2494.

Posted: 13 September 2007

Research Study Trying to Improve Depressive Symptoms Quickly

Several medications are effective for treating depression; however, they take weeks or months to achieve their full effects.   NIMH (the National Institute of Mental Health) is studying whether a drug can cause a rapid antidepressant effect in patients with bipolar or unipolar depression.  The study also tries to see if it can sustain the results with another medication in certain patients.  Understanding how this works may help us understand depression and design better antidepressants.  NIMH is seeking people ages 18-65 with depression (unipolar or bipolar) who are:

• Free of other serious medical conditions
• Willing to participate in a minimum of a 12-day inpatient stay

Research medications provided free of charge.  Compensation and transportation reimbursement is provided. 

Atendemos pacientes de habla hispana.

Call: Libby Jolkovsky, M.S. at 301-402-9347 or 1-877-MINDNIH (1-877-646-3644), http://patientinfo.nimh.nih.gov; for other studies: www.clinicaltrials.gov

Optimization of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in the Treatment of Major Depression at Columbia University, NY –

An outpatient, non-medication, non-invasive investigational treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).  We are testing whether rTMS can treat major depression.  Participants will be randomly assigned to either active rTMS or sham (placebo) rTMS.  If patients receive sham and do not improve, they have the option of receiving real rTMS. 

Inclusion Criteria:
Age 21-70 years
Current Major Depression

Exclusion Criteria:
Prior treatment with TMS or Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
Metal objects in head or implanted in body
Pregnancy/breastfeeding
Neurological disorder
History of seizure or stroke

Please contact Seth Disner at 212-543-5767 or email depression@colubmia.edu

Do you AND a family member have DEPRESSION? 

Please consider taking part in a nationwide research study -- Genetics of Recurrent Early-Onset Depression, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health.

You may be able to participate if:
- You’ve had 2 or more periods of depression.
- The first depression started before age 31.
- At least one brother, sister or parent has also had depression.
- We are unable to include people with bipolar disorder, or with bipolar disorder in the immediate family.

For more information: contact our National Coordinating Center at Stanford University.  All emails & calls are strictly confidential.
genredstudy@stanford.edu or call toll-free (877) 407-9529

Or, contact a participating university:
Columbia University: sibhealth@childpsych.columbia.edu or call (212) 543-6297
Howard University: gendepression@howard.edu or call (202) 806-7642
Johns Hopkins University: moods@jhu.edu or call (410) 614-1017
University of Iowa: nancy-hale@uiowa.edu or call (888) 850-8531
Rush University Medical Center (Chicago): Michael_J_Purcell@rush.edu or call (888) 820-3395
Stanford University: jennjohn@stanford.edu or call (650) 736-0481 or (650) 723-3258

Solving the Genetics of Major Depression

This study will create a DNA collection from over 2,000 people to permit scientists to search for depression-related genes.  These scientists will not be given any information that could identify you or your family.

Benefits of Participating
- Help us with this difficult task.
- Finding relevant genes could lead to the development of better treatments.
- You receive reimbursement for participation.

If you volunteer
- You will be interviewed about your personal and family mental health history.
- You do not need to live near our sites.  Interviews can be completed by phone.
- You will be asked for a blood specimen for DNA studies.
- You may be asked for help in inviting family members to participate, but family participation is not required.
- Confidentiality is protected.

Do genes cause depression?

Studies of depression in families suggest that around 50% of the predisposition to major depression is caused by genes.  People with recurrent depression that starts at a younger age have more relatives with depression.  There are probably many interacting genes, rather than a single gene as in some medical disorders.

Why find these genes?

Identifying these genes would help us to understand the brain mechanisms involved in severe depression.  This could lead to discovery of new treatments.

For more information, go to:
www.depressiongenetics.org
www.nyspi.org/depression
www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/moods/genetics

Severe Depression Study

Feeling sad and depressed?  Losing pleasure in engaging in daily activities?  Difficulty concentrating or easily distracted?  Suffering from low self-worth?  If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, you may be suffering from Severe Depression.  Daniel D. Anderson, M.D., is conducting a research study for people with Severe Depression.  If you qualify, you may be eligible to participate in a study testing the effectiveness of a research medication for the treatment of Severe Depression at no cost to you.  If you would like additional information regarding this study and are between the ages of 18 and 75, please contact the office of Daniel D. Anderson, M.D., at (310) 891-0106.

The Depression Research Clinic at Stanford University

The Stanford University Depression Research Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is currently conducting several studies evaluating the effectiveness of new and investigational treatments for depression. If you are bothered by depression nearly every day, are 18 years or older, in good physical health, and are able to attend weekly appointments at Stanford between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, you may be eligible. All of the studies involve an initial phone screen, during which time research staff will ask you questions to determine eligibility, explain the studies for which you may be eligible, and answer any questions that you may have. Participation is free and all calls are confidential. If you would like more information, please call the research study line at 650-723-8330.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in the Treatment of Major Depression

A large, 16 center, randomized, placebo controlled trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-medication, non-invasive outpatient procedure, is currently underway. This trial will test a TMS device to evaluate its safety and ability to improve mood in patients with major depression. Information from this trial will be submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support clearance which will allow physicians to prescribe TMS to treat patients with symptoms of depression.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• Age 18 – 70 years
• Read and speak fluent English
• Both males and females

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior treatment with TMS
• Metal objects in your head
• Pregnancy or possible pregnancy
• A diagnosis of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or OCD
• Increased pressure in the brain for any reason
• Intracranial lines of any type
• A diagnosis of a significant neurological disorder
• A non-response to prior ECT

Note: There are other less common factors which may prevent study enrollment.

For information regarding TMS, trial specifics and locations, visit www.neuronetics.com. Individuals interested in participating in this trial, please call 1-800-345-8707.

Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Depression

The Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Depression has established a research program to study the effects of depression on the brain. Brain autopsy is a very important part of that research. The study of brain tissue supplies researchers with crucial information about the biological processes of depression that cannot be obtained by other means. As scientific knowledge advances, so does the ability of both practitioners and affected individuals to prevent, treat, and possibly cure this debilitating illness.

When thinking of organ donation, many people think of donating organs to sustain the health or the life of someone in need. Brain donation to research is similarly a valuable gift. The greater understanding of depression that is gained from this gift brings hope to improving the lives of future sufferers of depression.

To be eligible to enroll in the Brain Autopsy Program, a person must:

• Have a documented history of depression but not currently be depressed
• Be at least 40 years of age
• Not have been diagnosed with a central nervous system disease (Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, etc.);
• Not have had a serious past psychiatric illness (other than depression or bipolar disorder)
• Not have a history of drug and/or alcohol dependence

For more information, contact Julie Fleenor (919) 684-4890, fleen003@mc.duke.edu.

 Read More About Research

|  |

|