Sleep/Wake Cycle and Depression: An Imaging and Treatment Study

NCT04350567 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 1218123
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 61
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

16.2 million American adults are affected by depression each year. The investigators are studying the relationship between sleep/wake cycle and depression. Mounting evidence suggests that abnormalities in circadian rhythms (biological changes that happen over the course of the day or night) are related to mood disorders. This may explain why people with depression frequently suffer with sleeping problems. The purpose of this study is to understand how circadian (sleep/wake) rhythms may be affected in depression and the best way to improve depression caused in this way. This will be performed by comparing circadian (sleep/wake) rhythms in people with and without depression. The study involves being kept awake for one night. For depressed individuals, this technique will likely result in a brief (\<1 day) improvement in depression. Following this study, participants with depression will be offered antidepressant medication at no cost. During the study, the investigators use brain scans to learn more about brain chemistry in health and depression.

Conditions

Depression; Major Depressive Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Measure circadian phase in depressed and non-depressed individuals using the following outcome measure: phase angle difference (DLMO - sleep midpoint, units: hours)

  Hypothesis 1. Average phase angle difference (DLMO - sleep midpoint) will be 6 hours (optimal) in non-depressed participants. Hypothesis 2. MDD severity (assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HDRS) will be correlated with deviation from optimal phase angle difference. For this hypothesis, two outcome measures (phase angle difference, in hours) and HDRS (unitless, ranges from 0 to 52, higher numbers indicate worse depression severity) will be combined in the following way: the Pearson correlation coefficient will be assessed between the phase angle difference and HDRS of each individual. The correlation coefficient will be reported, and is expected to be positive.

  8 Weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Measure mGluR5 expression (outcome measure: volume of distribution divided by free fraction) at the time of DLMO, peak and nadir of melatonin secretion.

  8 Weeks

• Measure the effect of acute sleep deprivation on circadian rhythms (outcome measure: shift of the concentration of melatonin over time curve).

  8 Weeks

• To determine whether reliable estimates of [11C]ABP688 in plasma can be obtained using a miniPET scanner.

  8 Weeks

Study Arms (1)

Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Sleep Deprivation

Interventions

Sleep Deprivation OTHER

On the first night, the participant sleeps normally as we assess their melatonin through blood work. On the second night, the participant has 3 PET/MRI scans. On the third night, the participant undergoes sleep deprivation. On the fourth night, the participant sleeps normally and we assess their melatonin again through blood work. Depression scores are taken before and after the intervention.

Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Consent form signed
• Capacity to give informed consent
• Age 18 years or older (inclusive)
• Diagnosis of MDD and currently in a major depressive episode (depressed participants only)
• Score of at least twenty-nine on the MADRS (depressed participants only)

You may not qualify if:

• Participant considered at significant risk for suicide
• Unlikely to tolerate medication washout or the drug free period following washout (depressed participants only)
• Current psychosis
• ECT within 4 weeks of the first overnight visit
• Significant active physical illness or neurological deficit that may affect brain function or imaging
• A disease, job or life circumstance that creates an irregular circadian rhythm anticipated during the study
• Inability to maintain in bed and out of bed (regardless of sleep time, for depressed individuals) or sleep and wake times (for non-depressed individuals) to within \~30 min for a week before each overnight visit (will be measured by actigraphy and/or other measurements)
• Inability to abstain from medications that will affect glutamate levels or circadian rhythms, including stimulants, anti-epileptics, antidepressants, beta-blockers, hypnotics (including benzodiazepines), melatonin, or medications with glutamateric or GABAergic modes of action within 4 weeks before the first overnight visit as well as throughout the study
• Inability to reduce caffeine intake to \<= \~300 mg of caffeine (\~2.5 cups of coffee or equivalents) daily within 4 weeks of the first overnight visit as well as throughout the study
• Inability to abstain from nicotine within 4 weeks before the first overnight visit as well as throughout the study
• Inability to reduce use of alcohol to \<= \~5 drinks per week from 4 weeks before the first overnight visit and throughout the study and to completely abstain from alcohol within 24 hours of any overnight visit
• Inability to abstain from significant substance use (including cannabis) within 4 weeks before the first overnight visit as well as throughout the study
• Planned intermittent fasting or calorie restricted diet within 4 weeks before the first overnight visit as well as throughout the study
• For females: Pregnancy within the past year, currently lactating; planning to conceive during the course of study participation, or abortion in the past two months
• Any MRI contraindications, including metal implants, pacemaker, metal prostheses, orthodontic appliances, or presence of shrapnel that are contraindicated for MRI

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Stony Brook University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Stony Brook University Hospital

Stony Brook, New York, 11794, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 17, 2020
• First Posted: April 17, 2020
• Study Start: September 1, 2020
• Primary Completion: May 31, 2025
• Study Completion: May 31, 2025
• Last Updated: July 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

US (1)