Protocol Number: 02-M-0007

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: Participants currently recruited/enrolled

Gender: Male & Female

Referral Letter Required: No

Population Exclusion(s): None

Eligibility Criteria:

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

All subjects 7-18 (adolescents).

Consent: can give consent/assent.

IQ: all subjects will have IQ greater than 70.

Subjects currently on antidepressants or benzodiazepines medication.

Subjects suffering from ADHD and currently on stimulants.

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 TRAUMA:

Trauma (i.e., sexual or physical abuse, exposure to an accident, etc.) will be defined according to the KSADS, the Child Trauma Questionnaire, the Life Events Survey and the history of adoption.

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.

Participants suffering from acute psychosis or suicidal ideation; current abuse/dependency to alcohol or drugs.

Currently in an abusive situation at home.

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

Current tobacco use.

Special Instructions:

Currently Not Provided

Keywords:

fMRI

Depression

PTSD

Emotion

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Anxiety

Normal Volunteers

Adolescence

Memory

Physical/Sexual Abuse History

Recruitment Keyword(s):

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD

Adolescent

Depression

Anxiety

Emotion

Healthy Volunteer

HV

Normal Control

Condition(s):

Healthy

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder

Investigational Drug(s):

None

Investigational Device(s):

None

Intervention(s):

None

Supporting Site:

National Institute of Mental Health

Contact(s):

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

Citation(s):

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

• Questions about participating in a study, please contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office, CC.
• Technical questions regarding the Clinical Center web site, please contact the Department of Clinical Research Informatics, CC.

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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 01/13/2009