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Stimulant Enhancement of Well-Being Therapy for Depression

NCT01478113 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 5

Last updated 2017-04-26

Study results available
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Summary

This study aims to identify a novel enhancement strategy for residual symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) Dopamine (DA) has been viewed as a "pleasure neurotransmitter" for over 30 years. Yet recent data from animal and human studies suggest that dopamine has greater effects on "wanting" than on "liking." Therefore, the investigators of this study have hypothesized that amphetamine/d-amphetamine (AMPH), a medication which increases dopamine transmission in the reward centers of the brain, may have a more powerful antidepressant effect in combination with well-being therapy (WBT), a specific type of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps individuals with depression to increase their contact with natural rewards and decrease reward-interfering thoughts.

The investigators will test their hypothesis by randomizing 40 individuals with residual symptoms of depression, already taking an antidepressant that affects serotonin (e.g. Prozac, Paxil), to 8 weeks of treatment with either WBT in combination with AMPH, or WBT with pill placebo. The effectiveness of each treatment will be measured using a reliable scale, called the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

The investigators have also hypothesized that people assigned to the stimulant/WBT group will have greater improvements in functioning, well-being, and positive affectivity than those the people assigned to the WBT/placebo group.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine

The amphetamine/dextroamphetamine will be in a pill formulation. The dosage of the amphetamine/dextroamphetamine will be flexibly adjusted up or down by a study clinician based on the participant's response. Dose ranges will be 1-3 pills (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine) in the morning and 1-3 pills (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine) at noon.

DRUG

Placebo

The placebo will match the dextroamphetamine in form, dosage, frequency, and duration.

BEHAVIORAL

Well-being therapy

Therapy sessions will last between 30-50 minutes. The sessions will take place at every visit after the screening visit.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)

    collaborator OTHER

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Maurizio Fava, MD · Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2012-02-29
Primary Completion
2014-07-31
Completion
2015-07-31

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 NCT01478113 on ClinicalTrials.gov