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Sponsored by: |
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) |
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Information provided by: | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00209105 |
This study will characterize the mental health consequences of early-life trauma.
Condition | Intervention |
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Major Depressive Disorder |
Drug: DEX-CRF stimulation test Behavioral: Psychosocial stress induction Procedure: Brain imaging of sad mood , self-reference, reward Behavioral: Acoustic startle |
Study Type: | Observational |
Study Design: | Case-Only, Prospective |
Official Title: | Emory Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders: Psychobiology of Childhood Trauma |
Estimated Enrollment: | 240 |
Study Start Date: | January 2005 |
Estimated Study Completion Date: | January 2010 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date: | December 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
Groups/Cohorts | Assigned Interventions |
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1
Participants who have experienced early-life trauma will undergo a series of diagnostic tests.
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Drug: DEX-CRF stimulation test
1 ug/kg body weight of CRF for determining hpa response post dexamethasone ingestion
Behavioral: Psychosocial stress induction
Laboratory stress induction, no drug administration
Procedure: Brain imaging of sad mood , self-reference, reward
Brain imaging
Behavioral: Acoustic startle
No drugs involved
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This primary goal of this Center is to characterize the neurobiological consequences of early-life trauma. The Center comprises 6 projects that include human subjects. Human subjects are recruited through Project 6.
Project 2: Psychoimmunology (PI A.H. Miller) Project 4: A Model of Learned Safety(PI: M. Davis) Project 6: Clinical Psychobiology(PI: C.B. Nemeroff) Project 7: Children of Depressed Mothers(PI: Z. Stowe) Project 8: Functional Brain Imaging (PIs: H.S. Mayberg, G. Berns) Project 9: Structural & Anatomical Connectivity Studies (PI: C.Kilts, X. Hu).
Project 2: The study seeks to examine the impact of psychosocial stress on neuroendocrine and immune signaling pathways of adult men and women with and without major depression who have experienced serious trauma (abuse, loss) during development. Serial blood samples will be collected at baseline and after an acute speech/math stressor (see Project 6). Assessments include IL-1alpha, and beta, IL-6, TNF alpha as well as DNS binding of relevant neuroendocrine-immune transcription factors, i.e. GR, CREB, and NFkB.
Project 4: This study uses a model of that allows for the independent evaluation of excitation and inhibition of fear-conditioning measured with the acoustic startle reflex. In addition, a dark-enhanced startle paradigm will be used that tests for anxiety. The effects of early-life stress will be evaluated in humans with and without major depressive disorder.
Project 6: This study assesses neuroendocrine and autonomic responses to stress and pharmacological challenge in subjects with and without major depression who have or have nor experienced early life stress. We seek to identify causes of variability in neuroendocrine-autonomic outcome after early life stress. To achieve this principle aim, we study the role of moderating and mediating factors including gender, genotype, type/timing of childhood trauma, as well as the role of adulthood trauma, comorbidity and cognitive dysfunction. The projects serves as a human subjects core for the other projects.
Project 7: This project characterizes effects of maternal depression on offspring in a longitudinal study. Women with and without depression will be prospectively followed through pregnancy and the first 6 months post-partum. Maternal stress and psychopathology, pregnancy and birth complications, medications and infants' physiological and behavioral stress responses will be assessed.
Project 8: This study uses PET and fMRI to characterize the impact of early-life stress on functional neural pathways mediating mood reactivity, self reference and reward-processing in patients with major depression. Cortical-limbic-striatal changes in cases with early stress but no psychopathology that define vulnerability to depression are also identified.
Project 9: This Project uses data obtained in Project 8 as well as diffusion tensor imaging to define the influence of early-life trauma on brain anatomical and functional connectivity.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 45 Years |
Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Sampling Method: | Probability Sample |
This study will include participants who have experienced early-life trauma.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Contact: Christine M. Heim, PhD | 404-727-5835 | cmheim@emory.edu |
United States, Georgia | |
General Clinical Research Center at Emory University Hospital | Recruiting |
Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322 | |
Contact: Christine M. Heim, PhD 404-727-5835 cmheim@emory.edu | |
Contact: Tanja C. Mletzko, MA 404-727-9939 tmletzk@emory.edu |
Principal Investigator: | Charles B. Nemeroff, MD/PhD | Emory University SOM - Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences |
Responsible Party: | Emory University ( Charles B. Nemeroff, MD/PhD ) |
Study ID Numbers: | P50 MH58922, 572-2004, DATR A3-NSC |
Study First Received: | September 13, 2005 |
Last Updated: | April 24, 2008 |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00209105 |
Health Authority: | United States: Federal Government |
Child Abuse Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Brain Imaging Depression |
Dexamethasone Depression Mental Disorders Mood Disorders Wounds and Injuries |
Depressive Disorder, Major Epinephrine Depressive Disorder Dexamethasone acetate Behavioral Symptoms |
Pathologic Processes Disease |