NIH Clinical Research Studies

Protocol Number: 02-M-0007

Active Accrual, Protocols Recruiting New Patients

Title:
Adolescent Medial Temporal Lobe Function in Health and Illness
Number:
02-M-0007
Summary:
The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to examine the brain activity of adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD) before and after treatment.

Adults with PTSD or MDD exhibit abnormalities in the structure and function of certain parts of the brain. Although PTSD and MDD are psychiatric disorders that often emerge in childhood, the relationship between these disorders and brain structures has not been thoroughly studied in adolescents with the disorders. This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the parts of the brain that are involved in PTSD and MDD in adolescents.

Adolescents with PTSD and/or MDD will be enrolled along with healthy adolescents with or without a history of abuse. Healthy adults will also be enrolled. Participants will be screened with a physical examination; blood tests; and interviews about mood, general degree of nervousness, and behavior. Adolescents and their parents will be interviewed separately and together. Following the interviews, participants will undergo psychological tests. Participants with PTSD and/or MDD will have two weekly sessions of talk therapy. Participants who continue to experience PTSD or MDD symptoms after the talk therapy may continue the talk therapy alone, begin treatment with fluoxetine (Prozac® (Registered Trademark)) alone, or begin fluoxetine in addition to the talk therapy. Participants who take fluoxetine will have blood collected before treatment and 8 weeks after treatment has begun. If participants do not respond to the treatment, the treatment will be stopped and the participants will be offered another treatment. Participants who respond to treatment will continue treatment at NIH until a referral to an outside physician is made. Depending on the experiment in which they are enrolled, participants will undergo one or four MRI scans. Participants who will have four MRI scans will undergo the scans on separate days. During the MRI, participants will complete tasks on a computer. Saliva samples will be collected before and after the scans. Participants with PTSD and/or MDD will collect their saliva one or two days before the MRI scan.

Sponsoring Institute:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Recruitment Detail
Type: Active Accrual Of New Subjects
Gender: Male & Female
Referral Letter Required: No
Population Exclusion(s): None

Eligibility Criteria:
INCLUSION CRITERIA:

All subjects 9-17 (adolescents).

Pubertal Status: Puberty.

Consent: can give consent/assent.

IQ: all subjects will have IQ greater than 70.

SUBJECTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION:

Diagnosis: Current diagnosis of MDD.

Clinical Impairment: CGAS less than 60.

SUBJECTS WITH PTSD:

Diagnosis: current diagnosis of PTSD.

Clinical Impairment: CGAS of less than 60.

SUBJECTS WITH HISTORY OF ABUSE:

Following Heim et al.(2000), physical and/or sexual abuse must have occurred for at least 1 year and the frequency must be at least once a month.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Any medical condition that increases risk for MRI (e.g. pacemaker, metallic foreign material in eye).

Any medical condition that increases risk for fluoxetine treatment for patients with MDD/PTSD.

Pregnancy.

Currently in an abusive situation at home.

Current use of any psychoactive substance, a current suicidal ideation, current diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of sufficient severity to require pharmacotherapy.

Current diagnosis of Tourette's Disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or conduct disorder.

Weight that is 15% more or less than ideal body weight for sex and height.

Current use tobacco.

Special Instructions: Currently Not Provided
Keywords:
fMRI
Depression
PTSD
Emotion
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Anxiety
Normal Volunteers
Adolescence
Memory
Physical/Sexual Abuse History
Recruitment Keywords:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD
Adolescent
Depression
Anxiety
Emotion
Healthy Volunteer
HV
Normal Control
Conditions:
Healthy
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder
Investigational Drug(s):
None
Investigational Device(s):
None

Contacts:
Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
Building 61
10 Cloister Court
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4754
Toll Free: 1-800-411-1222
TTY: 301-594-9774 (local),1-866-411-1010 (toll free)
Fax: 301-480-9793

Electronic Mail:prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov

Citations:
Initial reliability and validity of a new retrospective measure of child abuse and neglect

The dexamethasone suppression test in adolescent outpatients with major depressive disorder

Dissociable neural responses to facial expressions of sadness and anger

Active Accrual, Protocols Recruiting New Patients

If you have:


Command Menu Bar

Search The Studies | Help | Questions |
Clinical Center Home | NIH Home


Clinical Center LogoWarren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 10/21/2004

Search The Studies Help Questions