PET scan study of inflammation in major depression
Part of Mental health clinical trials.
This Phase 1 study uses a PET brain scan to look at inflammation-related activity (cyclooxygenase) in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). It may help researchers better understand how depression is connected to inflammation in the brain.
Summary written for real people, not researchers, by Clin2.
Who can take part
- Be age 18 to 70 (study includes both depressed participants and healthy volunteers).
- For women who could become pregnant: use reliable birth control and avoid pregnancy during the study.
- Have been diagnosed with major depression (without psychosis) and have symptoms for at least 4 weeks.
- Be either not taking most depression/mental-health or anti-inflammatory medicines recently, or follow the study’s medication-wait rules (unmedicated people must be medication-free for a set time).
- Have a recent symptom severity score showing moderate-to-severe depression (MADRS ≥ 18 or HAM-D ≥ 15).
- Be able to travel to the NIH and complete scans: you must lie still and flat for about 2 hours and be safe for both PET and MRI scans.
Quick eligibility check
Answer a few plain-language questions, based on this study's own requirements, to get a preliminary sense of fit.
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