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Antidepressant Effects of NR2B in Major Depression

NCT00472576 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE1 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 5

Last updated 2012-08-03

Study results available
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Summary

Purpose : This study will determine whether MK-0657, a selective NR2B Antagonist, can quickly improve symptoms of depressed mood, psychomotor retardation, poor motivation and reduced enjoyment of things in patients with major depression.

MK-0657 decreases the activity of a brain receptor called NMDA, which the chemical glutamate binds to, possibly inducing a rapid antidepressant response. People between 18 and 55 years of age who have major depression of at least 4 weeks' duration and have not been helped by two antidepressants approved for major depression may be eligible for this study. Women who are able to have children are excluded. Participants are admitted to the NIH Clinical Center for two study phases, as follows. Phase I (1 to 2 weeks): Patients are tapered off their current medications. Phase II (7 weeks): Patients are randomly assigned to take either MK-0657 or placebo (look-alike capsules with no active ingredient) by mouth for 12 days. At some point during the second part this phase, patients who had been taking MK-0657 are switched over to placebo and those who had been taking placebo are switched to MK-0657. Participants undergo the following procedures during the study:Physical examination twice (at the beginning and at the end of the study) Electrocardiogram (ECG) four times Blood tests about six times Rating scales up to 28 times to assess the effects of MK-0657 on mood and thinking Blood pressure measurements three times a day.

Study examines the effectiveness of a new medication, targeting a system called glutamate, will improve depression when compared with placebo.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

MK-0657

Daily double-blind administration of the NR2B antagonist MK-0657 (4-8 mg/day)

DRUG

Placebo

Daily double-blind administration of placebo

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

    lead NIH

Principal Investigators

  • Carlos A Zarate, MD · Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, DIRP, NIMH

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
55 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2007-05-31
Primary Completion
2009-08-31
Completion
2009-08-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Drugs
Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00472576 on ClinicalTrials.gov