Anxiety & Depression Association of America

Although multiple treatments for OCD exist, slow symptom decrease, high remission, and significant side effects for some OCD patients limit their efficacy. More research into the precise neural mechanisms and linked cognitive functions in OCD is also necessary. To address both concerns, this study by Dr. Reinhart and his team will test a new, non-invasive, and well-tolerated neuromodulation method for reducing OCD symptoms, based on reward-related rhythms of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; a brain region responsible for reward, decision making and other crucial functions that is affected by OCD). This proposal is based on highly encouraging preliminary data in both subsyndromal and treatment-resistant populations that shows rapid reductions in OCD behaviors that last at least 1-3 months. Using high-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-tACS) guided by EEG brain wave recordings, the study will test whether repetitive modulation of relevant rhythm activity in the OFC can lead to rapid (within five days) and sustainable (up to three months) OCD symptom reduction. This research aims to increase knowledge of OCD and development of effective treatment with minimal side effects.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

In the current study, the investigators aim to understand the role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in improving executive function across neuropsychiatric populations known to have deficits in this cognitive domain.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2014

open study

Purpose of the Research: The primary aim of the proposed study is to conduct a randomized parallel-group 2-arm clinical trial investigating capnometry-guided respiratory intervention (CGRI) for pathological anxiety. CGRI aims to raise end-tidal CO2 levels thereby lowering hyperventilation-induced respiratory alkalosis and its associated fear-eliciting somatic reactions. Psycho-education about anxiety and its effects (PsyEd) will serve as a credible control comparator.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if 8 sessions of brief exposure and exercise therapy works to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adults. This study will also learn if participants think brief exposure and exercise therapy is a good and doable treatment. and The main questions it aims to answer are: - Do participants find brief exposure and exercise an acceptable and feasible means of treatment for PTSD? - Does brief exposure and exercise decreases of the severity of PTSD symptoms? Participants will: - Complete weekly questionnaires for 10-14 weeks. - Attend 8 twice weekly exposure therapy and exercise sessions for 4 weeks.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2025

open study

Anxiety is very common in autistic youth. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the recommended treatment for both autistic and typically-developing (TD) youth with anxiety, yet most families cannot access CBT due to cost, practicalities of attending in-person treatment sessions, and a shortage of trained providers, especially in rural areas. The goal of this project is to increase access to care for families of autistic adolescents with anxiety through an internet-based treatment model.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

The overall objective of this in-lab randomized controlled trial is to test the efficacy of multi-day interruptions in sedentary behavior vs. single bouts of sustained exercise on metabolic, cognitive, affective, and cardiac autonomic nervous system responses in children with overweight and obesity who are at risk for type 2 diabetes. The use of continuous glucose monitoring will provide insight into the daily and cumulative metabolic effects of each condition that have thus far not been studied. In-lab studies demonstrating sustained efficacy of this approach in ameliorating negative effects of sedentary behaviors in children are necessary for the optimization of field-based interventions. Given the lack of success of interventions to prevent obesity-related diseases and increasing rates of type 2 diabetes in children and its related healthcare costs, this study addresses a critical public health need by testing of novel intervention strategies to reduce obesity-related diseases in children with overweight and obesity.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the efficacy of two related, but different ABM (Attention Biased Modification) treatments for depression in adults with elevated symptoms of depression. The main aims are: - Aim 1:examine whether gamified ABM leads to greater change in the primary and secondary outcomes than sham ABM - Aim 1: establish that gamified ABM is at least as effective as traditional ABM. - Aim 2: identify moderators of ABM efficacy and mechanisms responsible for its efficacy. - Aim 3: Identify the durability of ABM on depression symptoms during short-term follow-up Participants will complete self-report questionnaires, complete eye-tracking tasks, and be clinically assessed through interviews by clinician researchers. If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare sham, traditional, and gamified treatment groups to see if they moderate symptoms of depression.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2024

open study

Anxiety and anxiety-related disorders frequently co-occur with alcohol use problems resulting in an enormous humanitarian and economic cost to society. The proposed research will use digital technology to examine person-specific risk factors predicting problematic alcohol use in individuals vulnerable to anxiety and anxiety-related disorders and will use this information to design a personalized intervention for individuals seeking psychological treatment. Results from this research will integrate output from novel and innovative digital technology methods into psychotherapy, advancing research on personalized treatment and prevention efforts.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

Lack of perceived control, particularly during stress, has been critically implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD) and anhedonic symptoms, especially among female adolescents; yet the neural underpinnings of perceived control disruptions in MDD remain poorly understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging with a novel "value of control task" in conjunction with a prospective design, this study will provide a comprehensive understanding of stress and perceived control related mechanisms in female adolescents with MDD and will examine stress-induced disruptions in perceived control as a predictor of "real world" expressions of maladaptive coping and anhedonia.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2021

open study

In the United States, adolescents experience alarmingly high rates of major depression, and gold-standard treatments are only effective for approximately half of patients. Rumination may be a promising treatment target, as it is well-characterized at the neural level and contributes to depression onset, maintenance, and recurrence as well as predicts treatment non-response. Accordingly, the proposed research will investigate whether an innovative mindfulness-based real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback intervention successfully elicits change in the brain circuit underlying rumination to improve clinical outcomes among depressed adolescents.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2024

open study

This study aims to explore the mechanisms of how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) impacts fear circuits. The overarching objectives are to understand how varying TMS parameters affect targeted brain regions in order to optimize its impact on enhancing fear extinction memory consolidation in a population with known fear extinction deficiencies: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 250 subjects will take part in this research study across UTHealth Houston. The study will include preliminary screenings, baseline visits, and experimental visits across four days

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

In response to large numbers of senior center clients who suffer untreated depression and the dearth of geriatric mental health providers, the investigators have simplified Behavioral Activation to be delivered by lay volunteers ("Do More, Feel Better"; DMFB). The focus of Behavioral Activation is to guide clients to reengage in daily pleasant and rewarding activities, and reduce depressive symptoms. If the investigators can show that the lay delivery model has positive impact in comparison to MSW-delivered Behavioral Activation, the investigators will have identified an effective intervention that can be used by a large untapped workforce of older adult volunteers across the nation.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2021

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effectiveness of a Smart Bassinet to prevent/mitigate postpartum mood disorders by augmenting maternal sleep and/or enhancing infant sleep. The investigators will conduct a 2-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare infant and maternal sleep of infants who use a smart bassinet (SB) or a standard commercially available bassinet (Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper 3.0) (usual/traditional care (TAU)). After confirmation of eligibility, participants (N = 342) will randomly be assigned to either the SB or TAU. The investigators hypothesize that use of the SB will be associated with better infant and maternal sleep over a 6-month period, and these mothers will report fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms across the postpartum. The main question[s] it aims to answer [is/are]: Aim 1: Determine the effect of the SB on infant sleep and maternal sleep. [primary hypothesis or outcome measure 2]? Aim 2: Determine the effect of the SB on maternal postpartum depressive symptoms and evaluate the model that the association between the SB and postpartum depressive symptoms is mediated by both infant and maternal sleep Aim 3: Compare trajectory of immune system function from late pregnancy through postpartum between PPD and non-PPD and between SB and TAU groups Exploratory Aim. Evaluate whether the elevated risk demonstrated by previously identified PPD epigenetic biomarkers at the TTC9B and HP1BP3 genes can be modified by using a SB. The investigators hypothesize that the elevated risk will be reduced in the SB condition compared to TAU. Military-affiliated pregnant women will be recruited from across the US via social media and advertising. Monthly online questionnaires will be completed by the mother. Objective sleep data will be collected monthly using an actigraph for 1-week from both mother and baby. Blood samples for assay of inflammatory markers will be collected at enrollment, 3- and 6- months postpartum.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2025

open study

Compared to the general population, autistic youth are at increased risk for both exposure to potentially traumatic events and trauma-related symptoms following trauma exposure. Autistic people identify approaches to effectively addressing trauma as a top mental health research priority, yet providers in community settings often report inadequate training in trauma treatment. The purpose of this study is to conduct an open pilot to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an evidence-based intervention for youth affected by trauma, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), that has been modified for autistic youth served in Community Mental Health Centers.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2026

open study

People with serious mental illness (depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders) have high rates of repeated criminal legal involvement and psychiatric hospitalizations. Longstanding research shows that in addition to treating clients' symptoms of mental illness, targeting risk factors for legal involvement can help reduce their chances of future incarcerations. Because hospitals are becoming increasingly forensic, treatment programs that address both mental illness and risk factors for legal involvement may be especially helpful in a state hospital setting, like Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH). This treatment study offers an adjunctive 9-session intervention, Changing Lives and Changing Outcomes-9 (CLCO-9), for patients at WRCH; this program is designed to help people with serious mental illness who are involved in the legal system increase their awareness of their mental health and reduce their chances of future legal involvement. The investigators are proposing a treatment study testing the use of the CLCO-9 group intervention with patients with serious mental illness with current or previous criminal legal involvement at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH). The study has three aims: 1. Evaluate feasibility, fidelity, and patient satisfaction during the implementation of the CLCO-9 group treatment at WRCH 2. Evaluate CLCO-9's effectiveness on improving patient's self-reported mental health, and behavioral indicators of mental health and risk factors for legal involvement 3. Explore changes in WRCH clinicians' knowledge and attitudes about treating risk factors for criminal legal involvement. To test these aims, the research team will employ a two-phase study. In the first phase, the researchers will implement the intervention and make necessary adjustments to maximize the success of the implementation. In the second phase, the researchers will evaluate the treatment program's effectiveness in producing change from pre- to post-treatment. All patient participants in this study will receive the intervention. The projected sample size is about 20 treatment completers and 4 to 8 group leaders.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2026

open study

The goal of the REVEAL PTSD study is to test how well the Senseye DT works as a diagnostic test for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adults 18 and older who are experiencing one or more symptoms that might be related to PTSD. The Senseye DT is software as a medical device (SaMD) and is an iPhone app that administers a series of simple tasks on the phone while recording video during the tasks through the front-facing camera. The videos are analyzed by a an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm to identify physiologic signals that might be indicative of PTSD. Data collected in this study will be used to train and tune the AI algorithm, then test it for accuracy. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. How accurate is the Senseye DT in detecting PTSD compared to structured clinical interviews, the current clinical standard for diagnostic testing? 2. How accurately does the Senseye DT predict PTSD severity? 3. How fast is the Senseye DT to use compared to structured clinical interviews? Participants will attend a virtual screening visit via video call to determine eligibility and consent to participate. Once enrolled, participants will attend 2 or 3 additional study visits: - Visit 1: A virtual visit where standard mental health assessments will be given by clinical raters trained in mental health and administering these structured clinical interviews. These assessments include the Structured Interview Guide for the Montgomery-Asburg Depression Rating Scale (SIGMA), the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (SIGH-A), and the MINI International Neurodiagnostic Interview. The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 Revised Version (CAPS-5-R) may also be conducted, if randomly selected. - Visit 2: A visit to use the Senseye DT. For participants near one of the study's physical site locations, this visit will be done in person at the site. For all others, this visit will be conducted virtually. - Visit 3: For participants not randomly selected to have the CAPS-5-R administered at Visit 1, a third and final visit will be scheduled for this assessment. This visit will be conducted virtually. The total expected participation time for enrolled participants is 6-7 hours over the course of 2-3 weeks.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2026

open study

Major depressive disorder (MDD; depression) is a mood disorder that causes a continued feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is a common and serious illness that can cause both emotional and physical symptoms such as feelings of sadness, irritability, not being able to focus on activities, tiredness, changes in eating habits, and aches and pains. This study will assess the changes in disease activity and adverse events of oral Icalcaprant in adult participants with major depressive disorder who are currently experiencing a major depressive episode (MDE). Icalcaprant is an investigational drug being developed for the treatment of depressive episodes in adult participants with major depressive disorder. Participants are placed in 1 of 3 groups, called treatment arms. There is a 1 in 3 chance that a participant will be assigned to placebo treatment. Around 195 adult participant with major depressive disorder will be enrolled in approximately 35 sites in North America. Participants will receive oral capsules of Icalcaprant or matching placebo once daily for 6 weeks, with a 30-day safety follow-up. There may be a higher treatment burden for participants in this trial compared to their standard of care. Participants will attend regular visits during the study at a hospital or clinic. The effect of the treatment will be checked by medical assessments, blood tests, checking for side effects and completing questionnaires.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2025

open study

Childhood anxiety disorders (CAD) are common and impairing. Family based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is efficacious in treating CAD. Yet, many children do not receive care due to barriers such as limited provider availably, high treatment costs, and constrained family resources (e.g., time). To combat these barriers, other treatment methods have been developed. The stepped care treatment models maximize resources by providing low-intensity, low-cost interventions as a first time treatment, while stepping up care for those needing more intensive treatment. Specifically, a stepped care model for CAD that begins with a parent-focus intervention has great promise to deliver efficacious and cost-effective treatment without having to engage the child. While stepped care approaches show promise in treating CAD with comparable efficacy to standard CBT, there remains a large research-to-practice gap. The stepped care model for CAD that begins with a parent-focused intervention has yet been explored, and very little is known about intervention mediators that explain mechanisms of change. This research is being done to improve the reach and quality of services using a stepped care model, offering an affordable and practical solution to the widespread gap in youth mental health care.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2026

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well JNJ-54135419 works (efficacy) in addition to comprehensive standard of care (SoC) in rapidly reducing the symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD, a mental disorder characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities) as compared with psychoactive placebo (does not contain JNJ-54135419) plus SoC in adolescent participants with acute suicidal ideation or behavior.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2026

open study

Bipolar disorder is a severe chronic mood disorder that affects up to 4% of the adult population in the United States. The purpose of this study is to assess how safe and effective ABBV-932 is in treating participants with depressive episodes associated with bipolar I or II disorder. ABBV-932 is an investigational drug being developed for the treatment of depressive episodes in adult participants with bipolar I or II disorder. Participants with bipolar I or II disorder who are currently experiencing a depressive episode will enter the study and be treated with open-label ABBV-932. Approximately 200 adult participants with bipolar I or II disorder will be enrolled in approximately 50 sites in the United States and Puerto Rico. Participants will receive oral capsules of ABBV-932 for a 26-week treatment period. The treatment period will be followed by a safety follow-up (SFU) period of 30 days. There may be higher treatment burden for participants in this trial compared to their standard of care. Participants will attend regularly scheduled visits during the study at a hospital or clinic. The effect of the treatment will be checked by medical assessments, blood tests, checking for side effects and completing questionnaires.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2025

open study

This phase II trial tests the safety and side effects of psilocybin in combination with therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. A cancer diagnosis is life-changing, resulting in significant levels of psychological symptoms, including a combination of depression, anxiety, stress, including feelings of existential distress (i.e., loss of meaning, demoralization, despair). Among all cancer patients, those diagnosed with lung cancer have the highest prevalence of mood disorders, such as depression (up to 40%) leading to profound deterioration in quality of life, prolonged hospital stays, poorer treatment adherence, decreased survival rates, and high rates of suicide (5- and 3-times higher than the general population and other cancer patients, respectively). Psilocybin is substance being studied in the treatment of anxiety or depression in patients with advanced cancer. It is taken from the mushroom Psilocybe mexicana. Psilocybin acts on the brain to cause hallucinations (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches that a person believes to be real but are not real). Psilocybin in combination with therapy may be safe and effective in treating major depressive disorder in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2026

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KarXT for the treatment of manic episodes in Bipolar-I Disorder

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to understand why some individuals respond fully to cognitive behavioral therapy and others do not, based on multiple sources of data such as neural, neurocognitive, clinical, and self-report data.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

Participants will receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) at a random location in the left prefrontal cortex, excluding sites that are potentially unsafe. Extensive behavioral testing will be conducted to determine which behaviors are modulated by stimulating which circuits.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to better understand the neural circuits associated with social motivation. Participant includes four study visits each that range from 1.5 - 3.0 hours in duration over approximately a one month period. The first study visit involves answering survey questions, a clinical interview, and computer tasks. The second study visit involves a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, computer tasks, and a brief TMS protocol. The second and third study visits involve a full session of TMS followed by an MRI scan and computer tasks. Adults in the Auburn/Opelika area and surrounding areas who avoid social situations, experience symptoms of depression or social anxiety, and are between 25 years old and 50 years old are eligible to participate.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2025

open study