Clinical Research Directory

Virtual Reality-Based Mindfulness as an Adjunct to Treatment as Usual in Treatment-Resistant Depression

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a combined Virtual Reality (VR)-based mindfulness intervention and pharmacological treatment compared with pharmacological treatment alone in reducing depressive symptoms in patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). Secondary questions this study aims to address include: 1. Does the combined intervention lead to changes in inflammatory blood parameters compared with pharmacological treatment alone? 2. Does the addition of a VR-based mindfulness intervention prolong remission of depressive symptoms six months after treatment completion? 3. Is the combined treatment with mindfulness and esketamine well-tolerated, and how does its adverse effect profile compare with esketamine treatment alone? 4. Is there an association between changes in mindfulness trait levels, assessed using the FFMQ-SF, and reductions in depressive symptom severity? Participants will be recruited from a Treatment-Resistant Depression Programme and randomly assigned to receive either VR-based mindfulness intervention in addition to treatment as usual or treatment as usual alone. The mindfulness intervention will last one month and include a total of 8 sessions. All participants will undergo comprehensive assessments at baseline and at predefined follow-up time points to evaluate clinical outcomes, inflammatory markers, tolerability, and remission duration.

Understanding Music and Mindfulness Preferences in Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn whether it is feasible to individually tailor psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) for people with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) based on their personal preferences. The study also aims to explore whether two different psychotherapy styles, music-centered and mindfulness-centered, influence how people respond to psilocybin treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is it feasible to conduct a patient-preference randomized trial of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy? * Does receiving a preferred psychotherapy style improve treatment experiences or outcomes? * How do music-centered and mindfulness-centered PAP approaches compare in their effects on improving mood and well-being? Researchers will compare music-centered PAP to mindfulness-centered PAP to see if aligning psychotherapy with individual preferences is a practical and potentially beneficial approach for improving treatment efficacy and tolerability. Participants will: * Be adults with treatment-resistant depression * Receive two 25 mg psilocybin (PEX010, Filament Health) sessions, spaced four weeks apart * Experience one session with music-centered psychotherapy and one with mindfulness-centered psychotherapy * Before treatment, rate their preference for the two psychotherapy approaches * Be randomly assigned to receive their preferred or non-preferred approach first, followed by the other * Complete preparation and integration sessions before and after each psilocybin session This feasibility trial will also collect information on participants' cultural and personal factors influencing psychotherapy preferences using a modified Cultural Formulation Interview, and explore physiological measures of therapeutic alliance, an important factor in psychotherapy outcomes.

Personalized Ultrasonic Brain Stimulation for Depression (R61)

This study will evaluate a new form of non-invasive brain stimulation for individuals with depression. Personalized low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation will be delivered using a range of stimulation parameters during psychological and physiological monitoring. Individualized optimal targets will be selected using structural MRI and diffusion tractography. Brain target engagement will be evaluated using functional MRI.

Avatar Therapy in Virtual Reality for Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder: A Pilot Study

This pilot clinical trial aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy of Avatar therapy for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder

Triple-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial of Tocilizumab vs Placebo: Potential Use of an IL-6 Antagonist as an Adjuvant to Standard Treatment for Treatment-Resistant Major Depression in the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS)

Clinical trial aimed at evaluating whether a single infusion of tocilizumab, a medication that blocks the action of an inflammatory molecule called interleukin-6 (IL-6), can reduce symptoms of treatment-resistant major depression compared to placebo in non-hospitalized patients.

Digital Interventions for Adults with Treatment-Resistant Depression: a Pilot Study

The goal of this observational study is to learn about remote mental health monitoring technology for adults with treatment-resistant depression. The main question it aims to answer is: are digital mental health monitoring tools (an electronic data capture platform and wearable device (e.g., smartwatch or smart-ring)) feasible to implement alongside clinical treatment for depression? The secondary aim of this study is to inform preliminary clinical parameters for larger, definitive studies. Participants receiving neuropsychiatric treatment (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, intravenous ketamine, or electroconvulsive therapy) as part of their regular medical care for treatment-resistant depression in the Interventional Psychiatry Program will have their clinical assessment data entered into a digital platform and will wear an accessory-based wearable device for the duration of treatment.