Anxiety & Depression Association of America

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is prevalent and debilitating chronic disease in Veterans. COPD is highly co-morbid with depression and anxiety conferring greater morbidity and mortality risk. Physical activity is a modifiable behavior that can improve COPD outcomes. However, to date, interventions targeting physical activity have not addressed the high comorbidity between COPD and depression and/or anxiety symptoms ("emotional distress") despite emotional distress predicting poorer response to physical activity interventions. This CDA-2 proposal will develop and test the acceptability and feasibility of an integrative physical activity and mental health intervention for Veterans with COPD, emotional distress, and low physical activity. The intervention will be delivered via VA Video Connect enabling access to care among Veterans with substantial barriers to hospital-based outpatient care.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2021

open study

In this proposal the investigators will use an accelerated TMS protocol that concentrates the magnetic stimulation that would usually occur over 6 weeks into 10 treatment sessions per days, for 5 consecutive days in patient with treatment-refractory depression. This protocol will build on a previously published study demonstrating clinical efficacy of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-dlPFC) in a treatment refractory population.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2020

open study

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic, debilitating condition that disproportionately affects Veterans. Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is a "gold standard" treatment for PTSD. However, approximately one-third of Veterans fail to receive an adequate dose of treatment because they prematurely drop out of PE therapy. There is also room to improve PE treatment outcomes. Consistent with the VA Office of Research and Development initiative to develop effective treatments for PTSD, the proposed randomized clinical trial will examine the ability of oxytocin (as compared with placebo) combined with PE to reduce PTSD symptom severity, improve the rate of PTSD symptom reduction, and to enhance PE treatment retention and adherence. This two-site study will leverage the investments made in the nationwide rollout off PE therapy and has the potential to significantly improve mental health care among Veterans, advance the science in this area, and identify mechanisms underlying positive PTSD treatment response. Participants may choose to complete this research study via home-based telemedicine (HBT) care (i.e. service delivery to patients in their homes using consumer friendly, video-conferencing technology). HBT sessions will be delivered via standard desk, laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone using VA approved applications. All procedures that take place via telemedicine will be performed and completed as though they were in-person/in-office

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2020

open study

This study aims to look at the effectiveness of using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in relieving pain and other co-morbid symptoms of Gulf War Illness.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2019

open study

There are two primary approaches to the treatment of OCD, pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Lack of therapeutic success with one approach leads to trials of the alternative approach or a combination of the two. A rarely used third therapy approach, appropriate for only the most severely afflicted and treatment resistant patients, is neurosurgical ablation of certain brain regions involved in mood and anxiety. The neurosurgical ablation procedures are irreversible in nature, and involve the destruction of specific volumes of brain tissue through various controlled means. Surgical procedures include cingulotomy, subcaudate tractotomy, limbic leucotomy which is a combination of the first two procedures and capsulotomy. DBS therapy is an alternative to neurosurgical procedures, specifically anterior capsulotomy, for patients with chronic, severe OCD which has proven resistant to primary pharmacological and/or behavior therapy options. Results from 26 severe, treatment-resistant OCD patients treated with DBS at four collaborating centers, three in the US, and one in Europe are summarized in great detail in pages 12-22 of the provided/attached "Reclaim Summary of Safety and Probable Benefit."

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

Determine whether postpartum depression is triggered by the abrupt withdrawal of estrogen and progesterone. The appearance of mood and behavioral symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period has been extensively reported. While there has been much speculation about possible biologically based etiologies for postpartum disorders (PPD), none has ever been confirmed. Preliminary results from two related studies (protocols 90-M-0088, 92-M-0174) provide evidence that women with menstrual cycle related mood disorder, but not controls, experience mood disturbances during exogenous replacement of physiologic levels of gonadal steroids. The present protocol is designed to create a "scaled-down" hormonal milieu of pregnancy and the puerperium in order to determine whether women who have had a previous episode of postpartum major effective episode will experience differential mood and behavioral effects compared with controls and to determine whether it is the abrupt withdrawal of gonadal steroids or the prolonged exposure to gonadal steroids that is associated with mood symptoms. Supraphysiologic plasma levels of gonadal steroids will be established, maintained, and then rapidly reduced, simulating the hormonal events that occur during pregnancy and parturition. This will be accomplished by administering estradiol and progesterone to women who are pretreated with a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (Lupron). After eight weeks, administration of gonadal steroids will be stopped in one group of patients and controls, and a sudden decline in the plasma hormone levels will be precipitated. Another group will be maintained on supraphysiologic levels of estrogen and progesterone for an additional month. Outcome measures will include mood, behavioral and hormonal parameters (a separate protocol done in collaboration with NICHD).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 1996

open study

The core objective of this study is to enhance the translational potential of this electroencephalogram (EEG) biomarker by using ketamine(KET)-induced gamma potentiation as a prognostic marker of 4-week treatment outcome. Previous research focused exclusively on KET-induced gamma band potentiation (GBP) in the context of a single infusion. Our study design captures the clinical variation associated with real-world treatment resistant depression (TRD) patients and allows us to analyze the relative importance of GBP to antidepressant symptom reduction across the induction phase of treatment. If successful, it provides a compelling rationale for a larger prospective investigation of gamma dynamics as a moderator of outcome to varied TRD therapies which impact the balance of cortical excitation and inhibition.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2024

open study

The objective of this study is to develop and pilot test a telehealth-based mental health screening and engagement program that supports parents as they transition from the NICU to home. The program will use a stepped-care approach to screen parents for depression, anxiety, and PTSD; provide a brief behavioral intervention to those who screen as having at least a low risk of these conditions; and provide a warm hand-off to community mental health services for those at medium to high risk.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2024

open study

A growing number of patients are surviving a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) but may experience long-lasting psychological problems, but research evaluating such treatment for ICU patients is scant. The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential benefit of an evidence-based psychological intervention for anxiety and associated outcomes for ICU patients. The main question[s] it aims to answer are: - Is this intervention feasible and acceptable in ARF patients? - Is this intervention in the ICU and hospital associated with reduced anxiety symptoms? Participants will participate in a cognitive behavioral therapy informed self-management intervention aimed to reduce anxiety symptoms. Researchers will compare the intervention group to patients who receive usual care to see if the intervention reduces symptoms at the the conclusion of the intervention and at 3 months follow-up.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

This is a prospective, crossover study of healthy participants evaluating the mechanical pain threshold for weighted pinprick stimuli.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2024

open study

The proposed study draws on prior research to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and explore preliminary effectiveness of Coffee and Family Education and Support, Version (CAFES2) using a pilot randomized type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation design. CAFES2 is a peer-led family and social strengthening multiple family group intervention that is designed to respond to multi-level needs of refugee families. Results of the trial will contribute to the emerging evidence base on family-based mental health interventions for refugee and newcomer communities. The trial will also generate new insights regarding implementation strategies needed to promote successful delivery of services by peer providers and the unique role of human-centered design practices for adaptation of mental health and psychosocial interventions.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to conduct a single-arm pilot trial of a brief cognitive-behavioral therapy-enhanced benzodiazepine deprescribing intervention in 20 older adults (aged ≥55 years) prescribed chronic benzodiazepines by their primary care clinicians.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2023

open study

This is a research study to find out if mental health symptoms in patients admitted to the Institute of Psychiatry are affected by a form of ear stimulation called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, or taVNS. Participants will receive ear stimulation during their inpatient treatment at the Institute of Psychiatry. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive ear stimulation for 1 day (up to 9 treatments over the course of a single day) or 3 days (up to 3 treatments per day), and will have a 50:50 chance of being in either group (like the flip of a coin). Each treatment will last up to 30 minutes and there will be a break of at least 30 minutes in between treatments. The study team will ask participants to complete a group of questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study. In addition, there are several questionnaires that will be completed daily while participants are receiving ear stimulation. Participants in the 1 day stimulation group will also receive 2 days of follow up questionnaires after the initial day of stimulation. The questionnaires will ask questions about mental health symptoms that subjects may or may not be experiencing, including questions about mood, anxiety, and sleep. The ear stimulation treatments will not interfere with the care subjects are receiving from the medical team. In order to qualify for this study, participants must be actively receiving inpatient care at the MUSC Institute of Psychiatry.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

Large-scale, effective, low-cost, and evidence-based programs that can nimbly translate new research discoveries into prevention and care for psychosocial-based problems are urgently needed since the vast majority of people who need evidence-based care do not receive it. The purpose of this randomized control trial is to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a Mood Lifters group template specifically for undergraduate students. Mood Lifters is an effective peer-led program that improves or maintains mental health. It seeks to help people enhance pleasure, engagement, and meaning in their lives while minimizing depression, fear, loneliness, and other negative feelings via a proprietary peer-based program that offers weekly meetings and other flexible support options. One obstacle to providing mental health care in the US is that it is costly to provide one-on-one therapy by a licensed professional. This is particularly true in large group settings with limited resources (counseling centers) and a large need for mental health care, like universities.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) distraction in patients undergoing interventional pain procedures in the prone position. VR has been shown to improve patient experience during interventional pain procedures, however, many of these procedures are done in the prone position making VR a challenge. This study will evaluate the effect of a VR headset and support in patients undergoing prone interventional pain procedures compared to control.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

The purpose of this study is to examine if patients have a lower anxiety level during wide awake hand surgery while listening to their choice of music vs standardized relaxation music. Patients who are planning to undergo wide awake (local anesthetic only hand surgery) and agree to participate will be randomized to either a music intervention where they listen to their choice of music genre or standardized relaxation music during their time in the operating room. 170 participants will be enrolled and can expect to be on study for 2 weeks.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

This randomized controlled study will examine the effectiveness of patient navigation with culturally adapted cognitive-behavioral interventions and peer support groups for low-income Black/of African Descent pregnant women who are experiencing stress, anxiety, and/or depression.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of Problem Adaptation Therapy for Pain (PATH-Pain) on cognitive functioning, depression and pain-related disability in 100 older adults with cognitive impairment, chronic pain, and depression. The study will test if PATH-Pain has better cognitive, affective, and functional outcomes than Attention Control Usual Care.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

The goal of this study is to refine and test a strategy for engaging Veterans with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as volunteers to help English language learners (ELLs) improve their speaking skills via structured conversations using videoconferencing.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2024

open study

This is a prospective, single-center, randomized control study to determine if video education at the time of postpartum discharge improves patient knowledge on the warning signs for the top three causes of severe maternal morbidity (infection, hemorrhage, and blood pressure disorders) in the first seven days following delivery for self-identified, Black, Latinx, other with two or more self-identified races, Medicaid, and/or uninsured postpartum individuals. Participants will be randomized to written discharge education + video education (intervention) vs standard discharge education (control). They will complete a baseline questionnaire and a post-discharge education questionnaire during their postpartum stay to assess for knowledge improvement. The investigators hypothesize that video education will improve patient's knowledge of severe maternal morbidity warning signs.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

Cannabis use increased 10 fold among adults over the age of 65 between 2014 and 2016 but very little data exists on the extent of their harmful effects on health and behavior. The overarching goal of this project is to test a novel harm reduction strategy in which older individuals who seek to use cannabis for pain, anxiety or mood problems (depression/anxiety) will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions in an 8 week randomized controlled trial: hemp-derived CBD+THC, hemp-derived CBD-THC, or placebo. This work has the ability to directly inform individual choices regarding the use of cannabis products among older adults, and direct policy decisions regulating cannabis formulations on the legal market.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

The purpose of the research is to learn more about how to treat PTSD for people directly impacted by incarceration (i.e., have spent time in prison or jail). This research will help identify if a PTSD treatment group that is used in community settings, and led by individuals with lived experience, is helpful in reducing PTSD symptoms among people who have been directly impacted by incarceration. Participants will complete an interview to determine whether they are experiencing PTSD, and if so, will participate in a 6-week therapy group treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2023

open study

The investigators hypothesized that during the 9-week course of Engage & Connect treatment there will be an increase in brain functions of the Positive Valence System which in turn will lead to reduction in suicidality.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

The goal of this study is to evaluate whether rtfMRI-nf training to increase the amygdala response to positive memories may serve as a stand-alone intervention for major depressive disorder

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2023

open study

The primary aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in United States military Veterans.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2023

open study