Anxiety & Depression Association of America

Developed nations worldwide are currently enduring a health crisis, as chronic diseases continue to decrease quality of life and promote additional disease states or even death for much of the population. Rural populations are at a particular disadvantage, as they lack access to health clubs, wellness programs and similar resources that are more available in urban areas. Although pharmaceutical therapies have continued to show therapeutic advancements, the rates of disease onset and death from chronic disease has not seen similar improvements, and in fact continue to worsen. Excitingly, significant evidence has been published demonstrating an affordable, effective treatment to directly treat and prevent these chronic diseases, but few have demonstrated successful implementation of this therapy, which is improved lifestyle. Specifically, physical activity and healthy body composition are powerful therapeutics that have been demonstrated to effectively combat and prevent chronic diseases. Additionally, improving these lifestyle factors are often more effective than pharmaceutical interventions without the wide range of side effects. Unfortunately, barriers exist on multiple tiers in the practice of family medicine that demote the implementation of lifestyle medicine. To better serve patients at risk of, or suffering from chronic disease, the investigators are seeking to establish a lifestyle medicine prescription program for rural West Virginia. This program will provide patient education on the benefits of physical activity, body composition, and help patients identify strategies to implement healthy lifestyle choices that can be sustainable for the long-term. Patients will be advised on local opportunities to increase physical activity (yoga studio, martial arts, fitness facilities, aquatic center, etc.) and provided access to the facilities they are most likely to adhere to regularly. They will also be provided training on exercise techniques, equipment, and facilities to increase familiarity and comfort in these settings.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2025

open study

The specific aim of this study is to compare simultaneous assessment of gastric emptying and gastric accommodation in response to a caloric meal In patients who have previously undergone activation of left cervical VNS for the treatment of medication-resistant depression. Our hypothesis is that cervical VNS increases gastric accommodation and accelerates gastric emptying compared to a bank of healthy control data.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2025

open study

The proposed study consists of two phases. During Phase 1, the investigators will recruit a small sample of participants to complete a psychosocial intervention termed Amplification of Positivity (AMP) for individuals experiencing comorbid depression or anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder (AMP-A). These participants will be asked to provide both qualitative and quantitative input about the AMP-A intervention. Based on their input and clinician input, the AMP-A manual will be modified for use in Phase 2. The goal is to recruit up to 20 participants in order to ensure there will be at least 8 participants who complete all sessions of AMP-A. Phase 2 is a randomized clinical trial (RCT) protocol in which individuals experiencing comorbid depression or anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder will be randomized to complete AMP-A or an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention. Up to 100 participants will be recruited in order to reach a target of N=60. Assessed outcomes will include participant acceptability and completion rates, participant compliance with the intervention, positive and negative affect, substance use- and depression and anxiety-related symptom severity, functional disability, and neural reactivity to reward and alcohol cues during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

The goal is to optimize peer coaching in order to optimize engagement and outcomes in digital therapy. The unmet mental health needs of community college students are staggering and a growing body of research demonstrates that therapy provided digitally with the assistance of trained community members without advanced degrees in mental health is an effective and scalable way to address these needs. Despite being effective for improving symptoms and functioning in those who engage in it, uptake and engagement in digital therapy is generally quite low. Recent research suggests that this is especially true of Latinx individuals, who tend to have unique and significant unmet mental health needs. To address these issues, Project 2 will examine treatment engagement, treatment satisfaction, symptoms and functioning outcomes among Latinx students at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) receiving digital therapy with peer coaching in the STAND program.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2023

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate neural constructs related to anxiety symptoms in response to Facing Your Fears (FYF) treatment in autistic participants with co-occurring anxiety. Researchers will compare participants receiving immediate FYF intervention to those in the waitlist control group (receiving treatment as usual) to see if there are differences in neural constructs and anxiety symptom changes over the study period. Participants will: - Complete the Facing Your Fears (FYF) intervention if assigned to the immediate treatment group - Continue their usual treatment during a waitlist period if assigned to the control group, followed by the opportunity to participate in FYF intervention after the waiting period ends - Complete assessments of neural constructs, anxiety symptoms, and other measures

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2025

open study

The study will compare 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion training, compared to a control group that does not receive the intervention, on anxiety and depression symptom severity in patients with diagnosed anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder) or major depressive disorder.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2022

open study

Depression and anxiety disorders rank in the top ten causes of years lived with disability. Less than 50% of patients experiencing long-lasting improvements to current gold-standard treatments. Two gold-standard behavioral interventions include behavioral activation, focused on enhancing approach behavior towards meaningful activities, and exposure-based therapy, focused on decreasing avoidance and challenging negative expectations. While these interventions have divergent treatment targets, there is little knowledge to inform which strategies should be used in the frequent case of comorbid anxiety and depression. Approach-avoidance decision-making paradigms focus on assessing responses when faced with potential rewards and threats, tapping into processes important for both anxiety and depression as well as behavioral activation and exposure-based therapy. For this study, investigators will recruit individuals reporting both anxiety and depression symptoms and randomize them to one of three different interventions: (1) behavioral activation, (2) exposure-based therapy, and a non-specific therapy approach (3) supportive therapy. Participants will complete clinical, self-report, behavioral, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessments before and after therapy. Investigators will use a computational approach to model factors that may influence one's behavior during approach-avoidance decision-making, including drives to avoid threat versus approach reward and confidence versus uncertainty in one's decisions. This project will accomplish the following aims (1) Determine how changes in brain and behavior responses during approach-avoidance conflict relate to changes in mental health symptoms with the different therapy approaches, (2) Determine the degree to which baseline brain and behavior responses during approach-avoidance conflict predict response to the different therapy approaches, above and beyond the influence of demographics and baseline symptom severity. In addition, by including peripheral blood draws and measures of grace matter volume, the project will also accomplish the following aims: (1) Determine whether kynrenine metabolites measures peripherally may be beneficial as a biomarker of treatment response and (2) determine whether there is an association between change in kynurenine metabolites and changes in gray matter volume with treatment. Results will enhance understanding of how different psychotherapy approaches (behavioral activation, exposure-based therapy) may impact brain responses and decisions when faces with potential reward versus threat and approach versus avoidance drives. In addition, results will have important implications concerning the potential for a more personalized approach to psychotherapy, enhancing knowledge of which types of therapy strategies may be most beneficial for which individuals.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2020

open study

This is an interventional, parallel arm assignment treatment study in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Each individual will be treated with a single dose of pimavanserin or placebo plus a single dose of psilocybin. Evaluations will be taken before dosing and following dosing at several timepoints up to 5 weeks post-dosing.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2025

open study

This study will examine how doing heated yoga or non-heated yoga affects depression.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2025

open study

This is a 2x2, within-subjects, cross-over trial to test the anti-depressant effects of acute exercise in 20 participants with bipolar depression. Participants will complete four experimental sessions, two with an exercise challenge and two with a resting control condition in a counterbalanced order. Participants will receive either 800mg of ibuprofen or placebo before exercise or rest in order to test whether blocking the inflammatory response to exercise interferes with the neural and psychological effects of exercise.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

In this study, we will analyze the role of virtual reality in acute pain and anxiety management for regional anesthesia in pre-operative patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2020

open study

The goal of the study is to address the unmet need of TRD patients by identifying brain networks critical for treating depression and to use next generation precision DBS with steering capability to engage these targeted networks. The study's goal will be achieved through 3 specific aims: 1. Demonstrate device capability to selectively and predictably engage distinct brain networks 2. Delineate depression-relevant networks and demonstrate behavioral changes with network-targeted stimulation 3. Demonstrate that chronic DBS using steered, individualized targeting is feasible and safe for reducing depressive symptoms

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2019

open study

The study aims to investigate the effects of a 6-week leucine challenge on brain chemistry, connectivity, and behavior in people with midlife depression. The researchers will compare the leucine and an active comparator arm (lysine) for 6 weeks.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is see if Cognitive Processing Therapy and STAIR Narrative Therapy work to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual/aromantic, and all other sexual or gender minority (LGBTQIA+) adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: - Do these treatments reduce PTSD symptoms in LGBTQIA+ patients? - Do these treatments help improve quality of life and reduce depression in LGBTQIA+ patients? - Do stress from stigma and discrimination and drug/alcohol use change the impact of the treatment on PTSD symptoms? - Are LGBTQIA+ patients satisfied with these treatments? Do these treatments work differently among different groups within the LGBTQIA+ community? - Do LGBTQIA+ patients complete these treatments? Study participants will receive one of these two PTSD treatments. Participants will complete assessments before and after receiving treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to test problem solving therapy (PST) in older adults who are undergoing major surgery. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the feasibility and acceptability of delivering PST to older surgical patients with depressive symptoms or report lacking social support in the pre-operative and post-operative setting?

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2024

open study

This study will test a model of providing treatment to Latinx/Hispanic youth, who experience suicidal thoughts and behavior, and their caregivers. An affirmative and culturally relevant treatment will be provided to all youth and half of the families will be assigned to the additional support of a community health worker (CHW). Youth symptoms and family engagement to treatment will be followed for nine months. The potential benefit of adding the CHW intervention will be assessed.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

The objective of this proposal is to determine whether heightened negative affective responsivity (NA-R) to daily stressors is related to blunted nitric oxide (NO)-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) in working age adults and the extent to which this association is impacted by major depressive disorder (MDD).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of milsaperidone compared to placebo as adjunctive therapy in patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The goal of this exploratory, mixed-method design study is to gather qualitative and quantitative data obtained through interviews and questionnaires with veterans who are currently enrolled at the VA for healthcare. The main question this study aims to answer is: How do veterans aged 65+ who are enrolled for care at the VA understand ketamine assisted psychotherapy for depression and for end-of-life distress? Using a story-completion approach, participants will be provided with a brief story starter involving a fictitious character and scenario and asking them to complete the story. Few contextual details will be offered about the character. In responding to ambiguous cues, participants are thought to project their conscious and subconscious perceptions about the phenomenon in question onto the story, a useful method for exploring stigmatized topics. The purpose of this exercise is to ascertain the participants attitudes and perceptions regarding ketamine assisted psychotherapy.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common cause of recurrent abdominal pain in children. IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that is linked to motor and sensory physiology, as well as the central nervous system, that presents as abdominal pain with abnormal defecation patterns. This discomfort leads to emotional stress, decreased quality of life, and anxiety. The study proposes that yoga and mindfulness will decrease anxiety and increase quality of life for patients with IBS. The aim of this study is to measure the impact of a brief, at-home, 6-week twice per week Standardized Yoga & Meditation Program for Stress Reduction program on anxiety, IBS symptoms, and quality of life in children ages 12-21 diagnosed with IBS.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2020

open study

Acute, double-blind, adaptively randomized treatment with duloxetine or escitalopram, followed by open-label naturalistic follow-up.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2020

open study

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of SIT delivered asynchronously (self-paced) via fully virtual platform with and without the aid of a mobile health application and to determine initial change over baseline in terms of reduction in PTSD symptoms and improvement in resiliency in participants receiving the virtual SIT prototype, using Linear Mixed Models (LMMs),

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

The aim of this study is to measure the impact of these H.O.O.V.E.S. healing intensives on Veteran participants using several psychological instruments. The investigators are planning to administer the demographic questionnaires and psychological instruments to Veteran participants before the healing intensives. Psychological instruments will be administered immediately pre-intervention, pre- and post-session for each session, post-intervention, 90, 120 and 360 days post-intervention. The primary aim is to assess for statistically significant changes pre- to post session and pre- to post-intervention.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Apr 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether an established preventive intervention (group interpersonal therapy) delivered virtually shows the same benefits for preventing postpartum depression as it does when delivered in person.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This epidemiologic research is being conducted as an observational prospective case series outcomes study of the use of advanced integrative specialty medical care and its effect on adult and pediatric patients with chronic or serious illnesses or mental health disorders.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jul 2020

open study