Assessing Anterior Cingulate Brain Activity in People With Late-Life Depression

NCT00926653 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: K23MH074818DATR AK-TNGP1
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 76
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will examine differences in activity of the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain area involved in emotion and cognitive regulation, between older adults with and without depression.

Conditions

Depression

Keywords

Geriatric Depression

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Cerebral activation, as measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

  Average of a 2 hour MRI session

Study Arms (2)

Depressed

Elderly participants with depression

Drug: Escitalopram

Control

Elderly participants who have never experienced depression

Interventions

Escitalopram DRUG

10 to 20 mg daily as part of another study in which participants are enrolled

Also known as: Lexapro

Depressed

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Depressed and control participants are recruited from the community, with additional depressed participants recruited from a geriatric outpatient clinic at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical College.

You may qualify if:

• Diagnosis of major depression by DSM-IV criteria
• Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score greater than 24
• Severity score of 17 or higher on the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (HDRS) during the index episode
• Residence less than a 45-minute drive from New York Hospital-Westchester Division

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of psychotic depression, as defined by Research Diagnostic Criteria and DSM-IV
• History of psychiatric disorders other than unipolar major depression (people with bipolar disorder and dysthymia will be excluded)
• Presence of dementing disorders
• Acute or severe medical illness, such as the following: delirium; metastatic cancer; decompensated cardiac, liver, or kidney failure; major surgery; or cerebrovascular accident or myocardial infarction 3 months prior to study entry
• Receiving drugs known to cause depression, including reserpine, alpha-methyl-dopa, and steroids
• Requires concomitant treatment with other psychotropics, including antipsychotic medications, lithium salts, stimulants, valproic acid, carbamazepine, or gabapentin
• Severe aphasia interfering with communication
• Contraindications to magnetic resonance (MR) scanning, such as implanted metal, claustrophobia, or weight greater than or equal to 300 lbs
• MMSE score greater than 24
• History of psychiatric disorder
• Presence of dementing disorders
• Acute or severe medical illness, such as the following: delirium; metastatic cancer; decompensated cardiac, liver, or kidney failure; major surgery; or cerebrovascular accident or myocardial infarction 3 months prior to study entry
• Receiving drugs known to cause depression, including reserpine, alpha-methyl-dopa, and steroids
• Current treatment with psychotropics
• Severe aphasia interfering with communication

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Weill Medical College of Cornell University: lead

Study Sites (1)

New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical College

White Plains, New York, 10605, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression

Interventions

Escitalopram

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Propylamines; Amines; Organic Chemicals; Nitriles; Benzofurans; Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds

Study Officials

• Faith M. Gunning-Dixon, PhD

  Weill Medical College of Cornell University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 22, 2009
• First Posted: June 23, 2009
• Study Start: July 1, 2005
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2010
• Study Completion: May 1, 2010
• Last Updated: August 11, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-08

Locations

US (1)