Anxiety & Depression Association of America

Background: Nicotine dependence leads to about 480,000 deaths every year in the United States. People with major depressive disorder (MDD) are twice as likely to use nicotine compared to the general population. They have greater withdrawal symptoms and are more likely to relapse after quitting compared with smokers without MDD. More research is needed on how nicotine affects brain function in those with MDD. Objective: To understand how nicotine affects symptoms of depression and related brain function. Eligibility: People aged 18 to 60 years, at the time of consent, with and without MDD who do not smoke cigarettes or use other nicotine products. Design: Participants will have 2 or 3 study visits over 1 year. Participants will have 2 MRI scans no less than 4 days apart. Each scan visit will last 5 to 7 hours. At each scan, they will have urine and breath tests to screen for recent use of alcohol, nicotine, and illegal drugs. Before each scan, they will take 1 of 2 medications: nicotine or placebo. Participants will receive each medication once. They will not know which medication they are receiving at each scan. For each MRI scan, they will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder. Sometimes they will be asked to lie still. Sometimes they will complete tasks on a computer. Tasks may include identifying colors or playing games to win money. Each scan will take about 2 hours. Participants will answer questions about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors before and after each scan. They will have a blood test after each scan.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2023

open study

Background: Most medications that treat depression take weeks or months to work. Researchers want to develop fast-acting treatments. One dose of ketamine has a rapid antidepressant effect. For most people, this lasts a week or less. Repeated doses of ketamine may help maintain this effect. Objective: Main Study: To study the effects of ketamine in treating depression. Ketamine Metabolites Substudy: To study how ketamine effects brain chemistry. To study how ketamine effects the brain. This is done by looking at metabolites, which are created when a drug is broken down. Eligibility: Main Study: People ages 18-65 with major depressive disorder and healthy volunteers Ketamine Metabolites Substudy: Healthy volunteers ages 18-65 Design: Main Study: Participants will be screened in another study, with: - Medical and psychiatric history - Psychiatric and physical exam - Blood, urine, and heart tests Participants will be inpatients at NIH for 4 phases totaling 14-20 weeks. Phase I (2-7 weeks): - Gradually stop current medications - MRI: Participants lie and perform tasks in a machine that takes pictures of the body. - Mood and thinking tests - Blood and urine tests - Sleep test: Monitors on the skin record brain waves, breathing, heart rate, and movement during sleep. - Transcranial magnetic stimulation: A coil on the scalp gives an electrical current that affects brain activity. - Stress tests: Electrodes on the skin measure reactions to loud noises or electric shocks. Phase I tests are repeated in Phases II and III and in the final visit. Phase II (4-5 weeks): - 4 weekly IV infusions of ketamine or a placebo during an MRI or MEG. For the MEG, a cone over the head records brain activity. Phase III (optional): - 8 infusions of ketamine over 4 weeks Phase IV (optional): - Symptoms monitoring for 4 weeks - Participants will have a final visit. They will be offered standard treatment at NIH for up to 2 months. Ketamine Metabolites Substudy: Participants will be screened in another study, with: - Medical and psychiatric history - Psychiatric and physical exam - Blood, urine, and heart tests Participants will be inpatients at NIH for 4 days. Study Procedures: Mood and thinking tests Blood and urine tests 1 infusion of ketamine Spinal tap and spinal catheter: Used to get samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This is a fluid that moves around and within the brain and spinal cord. Studying CSF will help us learn how ketamine effects brain chemistry

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2017

open study

This is a global, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, 2-arm, placebo controlled, multicenter trial designed to compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of a fixed dose of SEP-363856 (75 millligrams per day [mg/day]) to placebo over an 8-week double-blind treatment period in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2026

open study

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of brenipatide when administered with standard of care (SoC), compared with placebo plus SoC in delaying the worsening of bipolar disorder symptoms. The trial is divided into three periods as follows: Screening period that will last approximately 1 month, treatment period that will last a minimum of 6 months, and the follow up period that will last approximately 2 months. The duration of study participation may vary and may be shortened if bipolar symptoms worsen or if withdrawal from the study occurs for any reason.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2025

open study

The overall purpose of this study is to help determine how best to incorporate small amounts of human and digital support into a meditation app. The meditation app used is the Healthy Minds Program (HMP) which provides training in four pillars of well-being (Awareness, Connection, Insight, Purpose) through a combination of podcast-style didactic material and guided meditation practices.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2026

open study

The goal of this study is to test a meditative neurofeedback intervention for depressed mood.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

Develop a NIRSIT testing protocol that can be administered in the diagnostic setting and reliably distinguishes the symptoms and severity of depression, with the help of repeated measure (up to five visits per subject) comparison of patients being treated for Major Depressive Disorder with control, non-depressed subjects.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2019

open study

The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of MACI® vs arthroscopic microfracture in the treatment of participants aged 10 to 17 years with symptomatic articular chondral or osteochondral defects of the knee.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2018

open study

All enrolled students and their parents or guardians will complete baseline anxiety questionnaires. Students with a positive baseline screen will receive a brief school nurse-delivered coping skill, referral support when indicated, and follow-up assessments at approximately three and six months. Students with a negative screen will not enter the intervention and follow-up phase.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2026

open study

The purpose of this multi-site randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy and risks of psilocybin for the treatment of depression in U.S. military Veterans with and without (±) concurrent posttraumatic stress disorder.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2026

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if depression treatment improves insulin resistance, or how the body uses insulin to lower blood sugar, in people with HIV on HIV treatment. Researchers will compare an internet-based (online) depression treatment program called cognitive behavioral therapy with depression education. In the online group, participants will undergo 9 weekly treatment sessions. The education group will receive learning materials about depression and will be monitored every month. All participants will have 4 study visits over 12 months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2026

open study

The primary aims of this study are to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and tolerability of using an immersive virtual reality (VR) headset to engage in behavioral activation (BA) for older adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The secondary aim of this study is to explore the efficacy of using VR to enhance BA therapy in a clinical MDD older adult population.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2025

open study

The goal of this project is to critically evaluate the effectiveness of an online health program designed to improve diet and self-care in patients with rheumatological conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjogren's syndrome (SS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and moderate depression. Additionally, investigators will assess the program's effectiveness, as well as the challenges and facilitators involved in using an online wellness program to reduce fatigue and enhance the quality of life in patients suffering from these conditions.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2025

open study

Investigators primary aim is to carry out a two-site, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, phase II trial to systematically examine the potential for aerobic exercise (AEx) to enhance the anti-depressant benefits of rTMS in individuals with post-stroke depression (PSD). Investigators propose to determine the efficacy of combining two known anti-depressant treatments shown to be effective in non-stroke depression, aerobic exercise (AEx) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), on post-stroke depressive symptoms. This project is based on the idea that depression negatively affects the potential for the brain to adapt in response to treatment such that rehabilitation may not produce the same changes that it does in non-depressed individuals. Investigators believe that effective treatment for PSD will result in a virtuous cycle whereby reducing depression enhances response to rehabilitation, thereby facilitating functional gains. That is, effectively treating depression will enable individuals to better recover from stroke.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

The study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a non-invasive brain stimulation device in a sample of inpatients with eating disorders (ED). The study will help researchers evaluate whether their device protocol is practical for eating disorder inpatients as a way to manage eating disorder and anxiety symptoms. A secondary aim of the study is to evaluate preliminary effectiveness of the protocol for reducing pre-meal anxiety during the treatment, and explore effects on eating disorder symptoms over the course of the inpatient admission.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2025

open study

This is a phase 3, open-label extension study to assess the long-term safety of KarXT for the treatment of mania or mania with mixed features in Bipolar-I disorder (BP-I) The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of KarXT in the treatment of participants with mania or mania with mixed features associated with BP-I.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2025

open study

The purpose of this research is to understand how chronic stress affects the way our brain and immune systems function, and in turn how this affects the way people feel, think, and behave. By learning more about how these processes work, the hope is to be able to develop better treatments to help with problems like depression and substance use. This study is intended for individuals that are HIV positive, currently taking prescription antiretroviral medications, and use stimulants. Through this intervention, the aim is to determine if this positive affect intervention can lead to reductions in stimulant use and depressed mood.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2025

open study

This clinical research study is to learn about the feasibility, safety, and effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for cancer survivors with depression and/or anxiety.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether light therapy is effective for reducing symptoms in young adults with OCD and late bedtimes (1am or later). The main question[s] it aims to answer are: Does light therapy reduce OCD symptoms? Does light therapy advance the circadian clock? If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare a higher dose of light therapy to a lower dose to see if dose amount affects symptom reduction. Participants will asked to: 1. Wear light therapy glasses for 1 hour each morning and complete a daily light therapy log for 5 weeks 2. Track their sleep every day with a wearable monitor and an electronic sleep diary for 5 weeks 3. Complete a 1-time assessment of sensitivity to light exposure 4. Complete self-report measures of OCD 4 times/day at baseline (2 weeks), mid-treatment (1 week), and end of treatment (1 week)

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

This is a multicenter, global, 26-week, open-label study to assess the safety and tolerability of lumateperone in pediatric patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or autism spectrum disorder.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2024

open study

Depressive symptoms are common among Veterans and associated with significant impairment. Timely intervention has the potential to improve mental health outcomes and restore functioning. Interventions delivered through the internet can be completed remotely at any time, and thus minimize burden on Veterans, however the research examining their utility in Veterans is limited. This proposed project will examine Deprexis, a self-guided internet-delivered intervention, which targets depressive symptoms and associated functional impairments. Interviews will be conducted to gain insight into Veterans' perceptions, needs, and preferences vis-a-vis Deprexis, with results informing a randomized controlled trial. Here an 8-week course of Deprexis will be compared to a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control condition to establish if Deprexis is acceptable and effective for Veterans with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Veterans engaged in Deprexis are hypothesized to show improvements on measures of functioning and decreases in depressive symptoms compared to the TAU control group. The proposed work has great clinical utility, as it could provide a readily accessible, high-quality intervention for the many Veterans suffering from depressive symptoms, with the potential to improve functioning and long-term outcomes.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

The R33 will be a randomized controlled trial to replicate changes in the targets (unproductive processing, avoidance, reward deficits) from the R61 phase in a larger sample of 135 participants who have experienced a destabilizing life event involving profound loss or threat, report persistent stressor-related symptoms of PTSD and/or depression, and are elevated on symptoms related to 2 of the 3 therapeutic targets. Additionally, this study will examine Positive Processes and Transition to Health (PATH)'s impact on stressor-related psychopathology in comparison to Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). In the R33 phase, the investigators will examine changes in target mechanisms predicting improvements in PTSD and depressive symptoms, as well as feasibility and acceptability. Patients will receive 6 sessions of PATH or PMR (with 2 boosters, if partial responders). Primary targets will be assessed at pre-treatment, week 3, post-treatment, and at 1- and 3-month follow-up; secondary targets at pre-treatment, weekly during treatment, post-treatment, and at 1- and 3-month follow-ups.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently accompanied by difficulty concentrating, poor memory, and inability to keep up with tasks, which negatively impacts a person's ability to function at work and in relationships. Currently available treatments do not fully relieve all symptoms. A published research report showed positive evidence that the stimulant medication methylphenidate was beneficial in treating these problems. This study will evaluate the ability of methylphenidate to treat PTSD and associated neurocognitive complaints in Veterans. An innovative feature is the study's N-of-1 design. In this design, every participant will move back and forth every 4-5 weeks between treatment with methylphenidate and treatment with placebo, in random order and under double-blind conditions, over a 20-week period. The investigators will compare the aggregated change in PTSD and neurocognitive symptoms between periods of treatment with methylphenidate versus placebo. Results will help clinicians to better choose the best treatment for Veterans living with PTSD.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2024

open study

Detailed Description The doula-led intervention developed during the first phase of this project will be pilot tested for feasibility. Following the recruitment procedures described in the recruitment and retention plan, approximately 75 participants will be enrolled into the study. Twenty-five of the participants will receive regular doula care and 25 of the participants will receive care from a doula trained in the PMAD doula training throughout their pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum time period, following the intervention procedures developed in Aim 2 of this study. Twenty-five women will not receive care from a doula and will receive perinatal care as usual. Women in all groups will take surveys via REDCap during their enrollment in the intervention, at 1 month postpartum, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum (at the conclusion of the intervention). All participants who receive the PMAD doula intervention will complete checklists after each session with their doula, to assess fidelity to the intervention. Participant communication with their doula via patient notebook will also be assessed for fidelity to the intervention.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

This randomized controlled trial compares a novel psychotherapy, Engage & Connect, with a Symptom Review and Psychoeducation intervention, tailored to reduce postpartum depression. The study includes 9-weeks interventions, delivered remotely. It will examine changes in social isolation, processing of social rewards and depression severity over 9 weeks of treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2022

open study