Major depression

This study tests whether adding a specific blend of two probiotics (Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum) to standard antidepressant medication helps reduce depression symptoms more than antidepressants alone. Adults aged 18 to 60 with major depressive disorder who…

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…

Researchers are testing whether a form of magnetic brain stimulation called intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) can improve anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure, in people with major depression. The study compares stimulating two brain areas at once (the left dorsola…

This study tests whether psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can help veterans with depression that hasn't improved with at least two other treatments. 240 veterans will receive either psilocybin or a placebo in a controlled setting. The goal is to see if it red…

This trial tests whether a non-invasive brain-stimulation device called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can reduce symptoms of moderate-to-severe depression in pregnant people. Participants use the device at home for 15 sessions over three weeks, while a comparison…

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 looks at how a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) affects symptoms and blood markers in people with treatment-resistant depression. Fifty patients will receive iTBS sessions over four weeks, while fifty healthy v…

Researchers at Emory University are testing whether a six-week course of the amino acid leucine changes glutamate levels and brain circuit activity in people with midlife depression. The trial enrolls 75 adults with moderate to severe depression and signs of inflammation. Partici…

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 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 whether brain wave patterns and inflammation markers in the blood can help predict how well electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) works for people with severe depression that hasn't improved with medication. Researchers will measure these markers before and after EC…

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 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 …