Reward Function and Therapy for Late-Life Depression

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Major Depressive Disorder

In brief

The goal of this study is to learn about changes in the brain that occur during Engage, a psychotherapy for depression in older adults, and how they may differ from changes that occur during supportive therapy. Older adults with depression will receive 9 weeks of either Engage or supportive therapy and will complete research assessments before the therapy begins and at weeks 3, 6, and 9 of treatment. Research assessments will include questionnaires, computer tasks, and recordings of electrical brain activity (also called electroencephalography or EEG).

Key facts

Study ID

NCT03688139

Run by

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

People needed

65

Starts

2019-03-14

Expected to finish

2024-01-18

Last updated by the study team

2024-11-14

Who can join

Age: 60 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age greater than or equal to 60 years.
• Diagnosis of unipolar major depressive disorder without psychotic features, determined by Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (SCID).
• Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score greater than or equal to 20.
• Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score greater than or equal to 24.
• Off antidepressants or on a stable dose of an antidepressant for 12 weeks and no intent to change the dose in the next 10 weeks.
• Capacity to provide written consent for both research assessment and treatment.

You may not qualify if…

• Intent or plan to attempt suicide in the near future.
• Presence of current psychiatric diagnoses other than major depressive disorder without psychotic features, generalized anxiety disorder, or specific phobia.
• History of past psychiatric diagnoses other than major depressive disorder without psychotic features or anxiety disorders (separation anxiety disorder, specific phobia, social phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia, or generalized anxiety disorder).
• Use of psychotropic drugs or cholinesterase inhibitors other than use of less than or equal to 0.5 mg of lorazepam daily up to five times per week.
• Neurological disorders (dementias, history of stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, etc.); cardiac, renal, or respiratory failure; severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; metastatic cancer; or debilitated states or less common medical illnesses that may either influence neural systems of interest or ability to participate in the study.

Where it is running

• Weill Cornell Medicine — White Plains, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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