Clinical Research Directory

Improving Mental Health in Forcibly Displaced Populations

This project aims to improve mental health support for Venezuelan migrants living in Lima, Peru, who often face challenges like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since 2015, millions of Venezuelans have fled their country due to a severe humanitarian crisis, including extreme inflation, food shortages, and political unrest. Many of these individuals now live in Peru, where they struggle to access mental health services. A new type of intervention that is both evidence-based and culturally adapted to meet the specific needs of Venezuelan migrants is the focus of this research. The intervention is designed to be delivered by trained lay providers-people from the community who have received special training but are not professional mental health workers. The intervention consists of 6 to 12 weekly online sessions, each lasting about an hour. These sessions will cover various therapeutic techniques, including cognitive restructuring (changing negative thought patterns), behavioral activation (encouraging positive activities), and emotional regulation (managing feelings). The sessions will be conducted remotely, allowing participants to join from the comfort of their homes.This approach is intended to make mental health care more accessible and relatable for migrants, who may feel more comfortable receiving help from someone who understands their cultural background and experiences.

Department of Defense PTSD Adaptive Platform Trial - Intervention C - Daridorexant

This is a Phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study that will evaluate multiple potential pharmacotherapeutic interventions for PTSD utilizing an adaptive platform trial design. Intervention C - Daridorexant will assess the safety and efficacy of daridorexant in participants with PTSD. Please see NCT05422612 for information on the S-21-02 Master Protocol.

MDMA-Assisted Massed Exposure Therapy for PTSD

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine hydrochloride (MDMA) combined with Massed Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adult participants diagnosed with PTSD. This randomized, placebo-controlled trial will enroll 95 participants. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the combination of PE + MDMA lead to greater reduction in PTSD symptom severity from pre-treatment to one-month follow-up compared to PE + placebo? * Does PE + MDMA improve response efficiency and durability of PTSD symptom improvement compared to PE + placebo? * Does MDMA + PE enhance extinction retention and reduce amygdala threat reactivity, and are these changes associated with improved PTSD outcomes? Participants will: * Receive 10 sessions of Massed Prolonged Exposure therapy over two weeks * Be administered either 100 mg of MDMA or a placebo at Visit 2 * Undergo blinded independent evaluator assessments using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5-R (CAPS-5-R) at the one-month posttreatment follow-up

MOSAIC (MOthers' AdvocateS In the Community) for Pregnant Women and Mothers of Children Under 5 With Experience of Intimate Partner Violence

The purpose of this R34 exploratory research proposal is to conduct formative work for a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of the "Mother AdvocateS In the Community (MOSAIC) Plus" intervention to reduce depressive and PTSD symptoms and prevent additional IPV among pregnant women and mothers with children under 5 experiencing IPV. The MOSAIC Plus intervention will integrate IPT principles and skills into the MOSAIC intervention in order to expand it to address consequences of IPV, including depression and PTSD symptoms. The proposed study will enroll pregnant women who report experience of IPV in the past 6 months, and who screen positive for elevated depressive and/or PTSD symptoms. The intervention lasts 6 months after enrollment.

Web-administered STAIR for Patients on Behavioral Health Waitlists

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant public health challenge with population prevalence rates in the US between 6.1 to 9.2%. There are large racial and socioeconomic inequities in access to PTSD treatment, as up to half (30-50%) of patients in safety net clinical settings meet criteria for PTSD, yet only 13% receive any behavioral health treatment. Workforce shortages are one major barrier to accessing care. Additional barriers to care can include heightened mental health stigma and mistrust of health services. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) may be suitable within the continuum of care for PTSD in hospital settings, given their potential for rapid-access, scalability, and the high acceptability of DMHI among individuals with high stigma and social needs. Among the available DMHIs for PTSD, the investigators have selected web-administered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (webSTAIR), based on emerging scientific evidence and a close collaboration with Boston Medical Center (BMC) users (patients and providers) in a previous pilot study in primary care. The aim of this randomized study is to implement webSTAIR at BMC in the Recovery from Stress and Trauma through Outpatient Care, Research, and Education (RESTORE) Center's subspecialty clinic.

Psychological Sequelae After Sudden Cardiac Death in the Patient and His Relatives

This study will evaluate and describe the occurrence of Acute traumatic stress and persistence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after resuscitated sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patient and relatives present during the event. The population will be composed of 40 patients: 20 with resuscitated SCD and 20 relatives. Two interviews will be performed by a psychologist within one week after resuscitated SCD and at month 3. Questionnaire Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ), Life Events Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (LEC-5) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) will be filled during these interviews.

MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Veterans With PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder

The study investigators are conducting the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of MDMA-assisted therapy with a comorbid sample of military Veterans with a co-occurring diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This novel experimental treatment package consists of three once-monthly Experimental Sessions of therapy combined with a divided-dose of MDMA HCl, along with non-drug preparatory and integrative therapy. The primary objective of the proposed project is to evaluate safety and clinical outcomes of MDMA-assisted therapy compared to identical psychotherapy with low dose ("active placebo") MDMA for the treatment of PTSD-AUD in military Veterans. The Primary Outcome measures, the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) and Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning (IPF), will evaluate changes in PTSD symptoms and psychosocial outcomes over time. Changes in drinking outcomes will also be evaluated (via the Timeline Followback, TLFB).

Department of Defense PTSD Adaptive Platform Trial - Intervention A - Fluoxetine

This is a Phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study that will evaluate multiple potential pharmacotherapeutic interventions for PTSD utilizing an adaptive platform trial design. Intervention A - Fluoxetine will assess the safety and efficacy of fluoxetine in participants with PTSD. Please see NCT05422612 for information on the S-21-02 Master Protocol.

Department of Defense PTSD Adaptive Platform Trial - Intervention D - SLS-002

This is a Phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study that will evaluate multiple potential pharmacotherapeutic interventions for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) utilizing an adaptive platform trial (APT) design. Intervention D - SLS-002 will assess the safety and efficacy of SLS-002 in participants with PTSD. Please see NCT05422612 for information on the S-21-02 Master Protocol.

An Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of TSND-201 for the Treatment of PTSD (EMPOWER-1)

This study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of TSND-201 in adults with PTSD. Eligible participants will enter a 4-week Treatment Period where they will be randomized 1:1:1 to receive one of two doses of TSND-201 or placebo, once per week. Following the Treatment Period, participants will enter an 8-week Follow-up Period.

Rapid Treatment of PTSD With Accelerated Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

This study will test the clinical efficacy of an accelerated TMS (accel-TMS) protocol that rapidly addresses PTSD symptoms with 1 week (25 sessions over 5 days) of condensed treatment.

Department of Defense PTSD Adaptive Platform Trial - Intervention B - Vilazodone

This is a Phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study that will evaluate multiple potential pharmacotherapeutic interventions for PTSD utilizing an adaptive platform trial design. Intervention B - Vilazodone will assess the safety and efficacy of vilzodone in participants with PTSD. Please see NCT05422612 for information on the S-21-02 Master Protocol.

Psilocybin-Assisted Cognitive Processing Therapy for Chronic PTSD

This is an open-label trial evaluating feasibility, tolerability, safety and efficacy of psilocybin assisted cognitive processing therapy for chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Sexual Assault-Related PTSD

A Phase 2, Open-Label Study to explore the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of psilocybin-assisted therapy in women with sexual assault-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Neuromodulation and Neurorehabilitation for mTBI

This study will determine (i) the magnitude of immediate and sustained effects of a current clinical standard interactive computer attention processing training (APT) when combined with intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a type of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and (ii) determine how APT + iTBS changes the neurocognitive system of attention in individuals with persistent attention deficits related to mTBI +/- PTSD.

Early Psychological Intervention After Rape

Rape is a common cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women, as around 30-50% will develop PTSD in the aftermath of rape. A modified protocol based on Prolonged Exposure Therapy (mPE), has been developed, consisting of three to five once or twice weekly 60 minutes sessions, and studies indicate that if implemented early after rape, mPE may prevent the development of PTSD. The aim of the study is to conduct a multi-site (4 Sexual assault care centers in Norway) randomized control trial (RCT) in which patients are recruited early after rape, and randomized to intervention (mPE) or treatment as usual (TAU).

Lofexidine Combined With Buprenorphine for Reducing Symptoms of PTSD and OU Relapse in Veterans

The overall objective of the proposed study is to determine if lofexidine (LFX) as an adjunct to buprenorphine (BUP) treatment improves symptoms of both opioid use disorder (OUD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Other study objectives are to compare the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of BUP treatment alone, to BUP treatment with adjunct LFX, on measures of OUD and PTSD symptoms in Veterans with both prognosis .

MDMA Therapy in Veterans With PTSD

A Phase 2, single-center, fixed-dose, open-label study will explore the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a 120 mg dose of oral MDMA followed by a supplemental dose of 60 mg MDMA in conjunction with therapy in individual versus group settings for adult veterans diagnosed with PTSD.

The Impact of AMPA Receptor Blockade on Ketamine's Anti-Suicidal Effects

The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that the anti-depressant and anti-suicidal effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist Ketamine is critically dependent on stimulation of Alpha-Amino-3-Hydroxy-5-Methyl-4-Isoxazole Propionic Acid receptors (AMPAR).

Being Safe, Healthy, And Positively Empowered (BSHAPE) Intervention Study

The purpose of the study is to evaluate a trauma informed digital multicomponent intervention design to improve health and safety outcomes for women with lifetime exposures to violence and co-occurring PTSD and/or depression symptoms

Alpha-Amino-3-Hydroxy-5-Methyl-4- Isoxazole Propionic Acid Receptor Components of the Anti-Depressant Ketamine Response

The proposed study will assess the combined effect of perampanel and ketamine on the anti-depressant response in individuals with treatment resistant depression. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that stimulation of Alpha-Amino-3-Hydroxy-5-Methyl-4- Isoxazole Propionic Acid receptors (AMPAR) is critical to the anti-depressant response of ketamine.

Fear and Avoidance in PTSD Patients

The purpose of this research study is to study how the brain learns to avoid certain stimuli or situations using an experimental paradigm. The big goal is to measure brain responses and subject's feelings and expectations when they are learning to actively avoid experimental stimuli, and how fear extinction learning and monetary cost can change how and when subjects are to avoid.

Psychotherapy Effects on Reward Processing in PTSD

The purpose of this study is to identify how trauma-focused psychotherapy changes the function of brain circuitry in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how this mediates improvements in the diminished ability to experience positive emotions following a traumatic or extremely stressful life event. In this instance, the investigators will be using cognitive processing therapy (CPT), a widely-utilized and evidence-based treatment for PTSD.

Imaging Cannabinoid Receptors Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanning

The aim of the present study is to assess the availability of cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) in the human brain. CB1R are present in everyone's brain, regardless of whether or not someone has used cannabis. The investigators will image brain cannabinoid receptors using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging and the radioligand OMAR, in healthy individuals and several conditions including 1) cannabis use disorders, 2) psychotic disorders, 3) prodrome of psychotic illness and 4) individuals with a family history of alcoholism, 5) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 6) Opioid Use Disorder using the PET imaging agent or radiotracer, \[11C\]OMAR. This will allow us to characterize the number and distribution of CB1R in these conditions. It is likely that the list of conditions will be expanded after the collection of pilot data and as new data on cannabinoids receptor function and psychiatric disorders becomes available. Those in the cannabis us disorder arm of the study will have a PET scan on at least three occasions: once while smoking as usual, once after 48-hours of abstinence from cannabis, and a final time after 4 weeks of abstinence. Additional scans may be conducted within the 4 weeks and the last scan may be conducted well beyond 4 weeks. Similarly, while most schizophrenia patients may get scanned just once, a subgroup of patients may get scanned more than once. For example to tease out the effects of medications, unmedicated patients may get scanned while unmedicated and again after treatment with antipsychotic medications. Similarly prodromes may get scanned while in the prodromal stage off medications, on medications and after conversion to schizophrenia.