Clinical Research Directory

Only individuals who complete 12 weeks of the blinded Depressed MIND trial will be eligible for enrollment. Eligibility criteria for the blinded phase includes: Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age ≥ 60 years; 2. Diagnosis of major depressive disorder, single or recurrent episode (DSM5); 3. On a stable therapeutic dose of an allowed SSRI or SNRI for at least 8 weeks; 4. Severity: Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score ≥ 15; 5. Cognition: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 24; 6. Fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: 1. Other Axis I psychiatric disorders, except for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social phobia symptoms occurring in a depressive episode or diagnosis of an attentional disorder, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); 2. Use of other augmentation medication treatments for depression, or ADHD e.g., stimulant medications,, e.g., adjunctive bupropion or other augmenting agents, that the participant does not want to stop, although short-acting sedatives are allowed (see below); 3. Any use of tobacco or nicotine in the last year; 4. Living with a smoker or regular exposure to secondhand smoke; 5. History of alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder of moderate or greater severity (endorsing 4 or more of the 12 criteria) in the last 12 months; 6. Acute suicidality; 7. Acute grief (\<1 month); 8. Current or past psychosis; 9. Primary neurological disorder, including dementia, stroke, epilepsy, etc.; 10. MRI contraindication; 11. Electroconvulsive therapy or transcranial magnetic stimulation in last 2 months; 12. Current or planned psychotherapy; 13. Allergy or hypersensitivity to nicotine patches; 14. In the last 4 weeks, regular use of drugs with central cholinergic or anticholinergic properties or moderate / severe CYP2A6 inhibitors /inducers.