Featured Studies

Featured studies include only those currently recruiting participants. They are listed according to the date they were added to the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, with the most recent studies appearing first.

  • Home-delivered Intervention for Depressed, Cognitively Impaired Elders.
    Interventional study. Among older adults the combination of depression, cognitive impairment (memory problems), and disability contribute to a worsening of physical and mental health and to poor treatment outcomes. Ages 65 and over. Locations in New York City, NY; White Plains, NY.
  • PERSONALIZED ANTIDEPRESSANT ADHERENCE STRATEGIES FOR DEPRESSED ELDERS.
    Interventional study. The study is a randomized controlled trial to test the usefulness of a brief intervention to improve adherence to antidepressant medication prescribed to older adults in a primary care setting. Ages 65 and over. Locations in Ann Arbor, MI; New York, NY.
  • Shared Decision-Making for Elderly Depressed Primary Care Patients.
    Interventional study. Shared decision-making (SDM), in contrast to traditional medical decision-making, involves a collaborative process where patients discuss personal values and preferences and clinicians provide information to arrive at an agreed upon treatment decision. Ages 65-95. Locations in Bronx, NY; White Plains, NY.
  • fMRI Study of Treatment Changes in Major Depression.
    Interventional study. The overall purposes of this research are to determine if Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has the same healing effect on the brain for people with depression as traditional anti-depressants do, to find out more about the causes of depression and why people differ in the extent of problems caused by depression, and to determine if certain differences in genes within populations are related to clinical symptoms. Ages 18-50. Location in St. Louis, MO.
  • Depression Outcomes Study of Exercise.
    Interventional study. This pilot study may yield important research findings on how to adapt exercise treatment for depression among adolescents. Ages 12-17. Location in Golden, CO.
  • Depression Prevention for Pregnant Women on Public Assistance.
    Interventional study. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an interpersonal therapy treatment called the Postpartum Prevention Program in preventing the development of postpartum depression in pregnant women who are financially disadvantaged. Ages 18-40. Locations in Providence, RI; Woonsocket, RI.
  • Evaluating the Effects of Stress in Pregnancy.
    Evaluation study. This study will evaluate pregnant women with a past or current diagnosis of depression or anxiety to gain a better understanding of how these disorders can affect an infant's development, both during and after pregnancy. Ages 18-45. Location in Atlanta, GA.
  • Identifying Factors That Predict Antidepressant Treatment Response.
    Interventional study. This study will compare different treatments for depression in order to identify which factors predict effectiveness, and will include a companion study which investigates combining treatments and long term effectiveness. Ages 18-65. Location in Atlanta, GA.
  • Group Intervention for Interpersonal Trauma.
    Interventional study. This study will assess the acceptability and effectiveness of a six-session, modular, repeating group for low-income women who have symptoms of depression and/or post-traumatic stress disorder following interpersonal trauma exposure. Ages 18-70. Location in Washington, DC.
  • Identification and Therapy of Postpartum Depression.
    Interventional study. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone-based depression screening and care management program in treating depression in postpartum women. Ages 18 and over. Location in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Effect of Family-Based Prevention on Children of Depressed Parents.
    Interventional study. This study will test the Protecting Families Program, a 10-week prevention program for depressed parents and their pre-teenage children, by comparing the effectiveness of the program versus parent training alone. Ages 9 and over. Location in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Hormonal Causes of Menstrual-Related Mood Disorders.
    Evaluation study. This study will explore possible hormonal causes of menstrual-related mood disorders (MRMD) by stopping the menstrual cycle with a drug called Lupron and then giving in sequence two menstrual cycle hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Ages 18-50. Location in Bethesda, MD.
  • A Treatment Study for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).
    Evaluation study. This study examines the effects of estrogen and progesterone on mood, the stress response, and brain function and behavior in women with premenstrual syndrome. Ages 18-50. Location in Bethesda, MD.
  • Brain Tissue Collection for Neuropathological Studies.
    Evaluation study. The purpose of this study is to collect and study the brain tissue of deceased individuals to learn more about the nervous system and mental disorders. Locations in Washington, DC; Bethesda, MD; Fairfax, VA.
  • Evaluation of the Genetics of Bipolar Disorder.
    Evaluation study. This study looks to identify genes that may affect a person's chances of developing bipolar disorder (BP) and related conditions. Ages 18 and over. Location in Bethesda, MD.

Search ClinicalTrials.gov for other NIH studies on Depression.

Related Information

  • Learn more about Depression
    Depression is a serious medical illness; it’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling “down in the dumps” or “blue” for a few days. It’s feeling “down” and “low” and “hopeless” for weeks at a time.

Clinical Research at NIMH

  • For opportunities to participate in NIMH research on the NIH campus, visit the patient recruitment Website. Travel and lodging assistance available.