Could an arthritis drug ease depression in Ex-Football players?
NCT ID NCT07608796
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether baricitinib, an anti-inflammatory drug, can improve depression and cognitive symptoms in 30 male former football players aged 40-55 with at least 10 years of play. Participants take the drug every other week for 6 weeks, and researchers use brain scans and motivation tasks to measure changes. The goal is to understand how inflammation affects these symptoms.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Baricitinib (Olumiant), an oral drug that blocks inflammation
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new treatment for depression and cognitive issues linked to inflammation in former football players.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 30 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Baricitinib has side effects like increased infection risk.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
-
About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Oct 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
30 to 55 years
- Sex
-
Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * willing and able to give written informed consent * males * playing tackle football for at least 11 years * 30-55 years of age * Current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V major depression or Bipolar, depressed type; or DSM-V major depression or Bipolar, depressed type in partial remission as diagnosed by the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (SCID)-V * score of \>10 on the PHQ-9 from screening and HAM-D score ≥16 for study entry * off all antidepressant or other psychotropic therapy (e.g., mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and sedative hypnotics) for at least 4 weeks before baseline visit (8 weeks for fluoxetine) or on a stable psychotropic regimen for at least 4 weeks (and no planned changes) * CRP ≥3 mg/L * PHQ-9 anhedonia (item #1) and cognitive (item #7) scores ≥2 Exclusion Criteria: * current or history of past autoimmune disorder * history or evidence (clinical or laboratory) of hepatitis B or C infection or human immunodeficiency virus infection * history of any type of cancer requiring treatment with more than minor surgery * unstable cardiovascular, endocrinologic, hematologic, hepatic, renal, or neurologic disease (as determined by physical examination, EKG, and laboratory testing) * significant hematological abnormalities at screening (ANC \< 1500, Hgb\<10, platelet\< 100,000) * history of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy * history of deep venous thrombosis * history of cardiovascular disease (coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke - controlled hypertension is OK) * major surgery within 6 months before screening, or will require major surgery during the study * current or recent (\<4 weeks before study start) viral (including COVID-19), bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection, or any other active or recent infection * symptomatic herpes zoster infection at or within 12 weeks of study start * history of disseminated/complicated herpes zoster (for example, ophthalmic zoster or CNS involvement) * cirrhosis of the liver from any cause * Additional exclusion criteria apply
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Bipolar disorder, depressed type are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Emory Clinic, Emory University Hospital
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
-
Emory School Of Medicine
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
-
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a new oral drug lift severe depression?
- Magnetic pulses target teen depression
- Can a phone app that blocks distracting apps ease depression?
- Can an antipsychotic restore feelings in people with depression?
- Can intense brain zaps lift depression? scientists track blood flow in real time
- Can an ancient herbal capsule boost antidepressant power?