MAJOR DEPRESSION

This study is testing a new tool that combines a blood test with a questionnaire to help primary care doctors correctly identify bipolar disorder in people who are currently experiencing depression. The goal is to see if this tool can accurately tell the difference between bipola…

This study tests whether inhaling DMT, a psychedelic drug, can quickly reduce symptoms of major depression and suicidal thoughts. 140 adults with moderate-to-severe depression will receive either a high or low dose of DMT in two puffs. Those not improved after a week can get an e…

This study tests a new type of talk therapy that is personalized for each person's emotional, relationship, and self-image struggles. It is for adults with depression that also involves personality problems or past trauma. 150 people in Chile's public health system will get eithe…

This study tests whether a higher dose of a gentle brain-zapping technique called tDCS can safely help people with major depression. About 20 adults will receive mild electrical pulses on their scalp over 5 days. Researchers will check for side effects and see if mood improves.

This early-stage study at Stanford tests whether giving magnetic brain stimulation during sleep is safe and practical for people with major depression. Fifteen adults who have not gotten better with at least one antidepressant will receive both real and fake stimulation in separa…

This study looks at how physical activity, sleep, and light exposure relate to mood in people with bipolar disorder, major depression, or no mood disorder. Over two years, participants wear activity monitors and complete smartphone diaries for up to 20 days at a time. The goal is…

This study looks at how ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant, affects the brain. Researchers want to understand if a specific brain receptor (AMPA) is key to its effects. Seventy adults with treatment-resistant depression will take part, receiving ketamine and a drug that block…

This study aims to understand how a specific type of brain stimulation, called continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS), affects brain activity in people with depression. Researchers will give participants a single dose of one of four FDA-approved drugs (or a placebo) that eithe…

This study explores why ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant, works better in people with a family history of alcohol use disorder. Researchers will give a single low-dose ketamine infusion to 60 adults with treatment-resistant depression while scanning their brains with powerf…

This study is a registry that will follow up to 1,000 adults with treatment-resistant depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or ketamine/esketamine. Researchers will collect data from…

This research study collects health information from 10,000 people with brain inflammation conditions like Long COVID, ME/CFS, and autoimmune diseases. Participants use a smartphone app to share symptoms, health history, and wearable data. The goal is to find disease subtypes and…

This study looks at sleep inertia—the grogginess and poor attention right after waking—in people with major depression. Researchers will test reaction times and monitor sleep in 110 participants, including depressed patients with and without sleep inertia, plus healthy controls. …

This study looks at how depression in older adults (late-life depression) may speed up memory and thinking problems. Researchers will follow 120 participants for 30 months, using brain scans and memory tests. The goal is to understand the link between depression and cognitive dec…

This study is looking for genetic markers linked to a side effect called behavioral activation—feeling overly excited or agitated—that can happen when children and youth take SSRI antidepressants for depression, anxiety, or OCD. Researchers will collect DNA from 160 participants …

This study tests whether breathing exercises and aerobic exercise can change levels of certain brain and inflammation markers in people with major depression. Forty adults diagnosed with depression will do daily breathing and aerobic exercises for three weeks. Researchers will me…