Clinical Research Directory

Shortened LSD Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and clinical effectiveness of a shortened lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) experience. This will be achieved by administering the drug risperidone 45-minutes after the administration of LSD.

Virtual Reality-Augmented At-Home tDCS for Major Depression

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy of combining Virtual Reality (VR)-based relaxation and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for treating Major Depression. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does the combination of VR Relaxation and tDCS at-home result in significantly greater symptom improvement in depression than tDCS alone? 2. Are there differences in treatment effectiveness depending on demographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender)? 3. Feasibility: What is the level of acceptance and adherence to the combined VR and tDCS therapy compared to tDCS alone? In a randomized controlled trial, patients will be assigned to either a tDCS + VR group or a tDCS-only group. The study protocol is the following: * On the first day, patients complete baseline questionnaires and are then randomly assigned to either the tDCS-only group or the tDCS + VR group. * Both groups perform home-based treatment five times per week for four weeks, with each session lasting 30 minutes. * After two weeks, patients return for a follow-up visit to complete questionnaires and assess adherence, side effects, and clinical progress. * At the end of the four-week treatment period, a final assessment is conducted, including questionnaires and patient feedback. * After 12-16 weeks (i.e. 2 to 3 months after the last tDCS session) Follow Up Assessment (BDI, MADRS, HDRS, GCI, GAF)

rTMS for Youth Inpatients With Depression

Youth aged 15-24 are likelier to have depression than all age groups in Canada. One-third of depressed youth do not respond to psychotherapy and/or antidepressant medications. A treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or rTMS has proven helpful in adolescents and young adults whose depressive symptoms have been difficult to treat with psychotherapy and/or antidepressants. Unfortunately, youth find rTMS difficult to access because it is not funded by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, is typically only offered to adults, and the treatment schedule usually involves once-daily sessions, 5 days/week, for 4-6 weeks, which is associated with travel and opportunity costs e.g. missing school. This project looks at the feasibility of a new treatment pathway that allows youth with difficult-to-treat depression in hospital to receive rTMS twice-daily while engaging in on-unit schooling and therapeutic support. This "accelerated" way of providing rTMS is safe, has equal effectiveness to once-daily rTMS, and can shorten the time needed for treatment. This pathway is for youth already staying in hospital for difficult-to-treat depression or youth outside hospital who have difficult-to-treat depression that interferes with daily function to such a degree that they would benefit from staying in hospital. The investigators anticipate integrating rTMS and inpatient care for youth will be feasible, that it will be acceptable and accessible to youth and families, and there will be sufficient demand for this new treatment pathway. If successful, this project will inform care for youth with difficult-to-treat depression in Ontario and beyond.