MOOD DISORDERS RESEARCH PROGRAM
The New York State Psychiatric Institute

Columbia University Department of Psychiatry 
         Specializing in Treatment and Research

of Chronic Depression

   Mood Disorders Research Program/

      Depression Evaluation Service

   1775 Broadway , Suite #1403   (57th St)

   New York, NY 10019

   Tel. 212.316.2364 

   Email. batchel@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           Information for Clinicians and Researchers

To refer a patient to a depression research study in the MDRP:

  • Clinicians can contact us by phone: 212-316-2364
  • or by email ( batchel@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu )
  • patients can also contact us directly regarding eligibility for our current studies

Current studies include:

Duloxetine for chronic depression: a double-blind study

We are studying a new antidepressant medicine, duloxetine, for the treatment of people with chronic depression

Duloxetine (trade name Cymbalta) was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of major depression. We are testing whether this meeicine is also effective for adults with chronic depression (dysthymic disorder or dysthymia).

Chronic depression, lasting two or more years, often causes significant suffering and impairment. Our study involves a 6 to 10 week double-blind initial phase during which half of the participants will take the new medication and half will take a placebo (an inactive look-alike pill).  After the initial phase, a 12-week continuation phase will begin, during which all subjects can be treated with an FDA-approved antidepressant medication.

Eligible subjects may also receive MRI scans, to help us understand how antidepressants work in treating depression.

DULOXETINE FOR CHRONIC DEPRESSION

Study entry criteria:

Inclusion criteria:

   --age 23 to 75 years (ages 23 to 50 for MRI sub-study)

   --diagnosis of dysthymic disorder (chronic depression) or depression NOS

  --minimum of 2 years duration of current episode of depression

 

Exclusion criteria:

  --current major depression

  --diagnoses including bipolar, schizophrenia, dementia

 --substance abuse or dependence in past 6 months

  --pregnant or nursing women

  --serious risk of suicide

 

 

Recent publications on depression from the MDRP:  

1) Hellerstein DJ, Batchelder S, Hyler S, Arnaout B, Corpuz V, Coram L, Weiss G. Aripiprazole as an adjunctive treatment for refractory unipolar depression. Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 2008
2) Hellerstein DJ: Combining supportive psychotherapy with medication. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychotherapeutic Treatments in Psychiatry, ed. Glen Gabbard, section on Supportive Psychotherapy, section editor Arnold Winston. American Psychiatric Press 2007
3) Hellerstein DJ. Aripiprazole as an adjunctive treatment in refractory major depression. Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 2004;28:1347-1348
4) Gelenberg AJ, Shelton RC, Crits-Christoph P, Keller MB, Dunner DL, Hirschfeld RM, Thase ME, Russell JM, Lydiard RB, Gallop RJ, Todd L, Hellerstein DJ, Goodnick PJ, Keitner GI, Stahl SM, Halbreich U, Hopkins HS. The effectiveness of St. John's Wort in major depressive disorder: a naturalistic phase 2 follow-up in which nonresponders were provided alternate medication. J Clinical Psychiatry 2004;65:1114-9
5) Markowitz JC, Skodol AE, Petkova E, Xie H, Chang J, Hellerstein DJ, Gunderson JG, Sanislow CA, Grilo CM, McGlashan TH. Longitudinal comparison of depressive personality disorder and dysthymic disorder, Comprehensive Psychiatry 2005;46:239-245
6) Hellerstein DJ, Batchelder S, Miozzo R, Kreditor D, Hyler S, Gangure D, Clark J. Citalopram in the treatment of dysthymic disorder. International Clinical Psychopharmacology 2004;19:143-148
7) Hellerstein DJ, Batchelder S, Lee A, Borisovaskaya M. Rating dysthymia: an assessment of the construct and content validity of the Cornell Dysthymia Rating Scale. J of Affective Disorders 2002;71:85-96
8) Shelton RC, Keller MB, Gelenberg A, Dunner DL, Hirschfeld R, Thase ME, Russell J, Lydiard RB, Crits-Cristoph P, Gallop R, Todd L, Hellerstein D, Goodnick P, Keitner G, Stahl SM, Halbreich U. Effectiveness of St. John’s Wort in major depression: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2001;285:1978-1986
9) Hellerstein DJ, Kocsis JH, Chapman D, Stewart JW, Harrison W: Double-blind comparison of sertraline, imipramine, and placebo in the treatment of dysthymia: effects on personality. American Journal of Psychiatry 2000;157:1436-1444

 

     Affiliated with the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute