A New Treatment Approach for Major Depressive Disorder Based Upon Targeting Monoamine Oxidase A (MAO-A)
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Interventions
- Drug: Existing depression medication treatment
- Registration Number
- NCT02269540
- Lead Sponsor
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Brief Summary
The investigators will be looking at MAO-A density before and after seven weeks of treatment with an antidepressant and dietary supplement. MAO-A is an enzyme that breaks down brain chemicals that regulate mood. MAO-A density is elevated in patients with major depressive episodes (MDE) secondary to major depressive disorder (MDD). Many remain treatment resistant with common antidepressant treatments and we think it may be due to poor targeting of brain pathologies. We want to test if adding a dietary supplement may normalize MAO-A.
- Detailed Description
All subjects are getting the combined treatment of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and the dietary supplement. There are two possible selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatments but the dietary supplement remains the same. No subjects are receiving the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor alone and no subjects are receiving the dietary supplement alone. The dietary supplement is called n-acetylcysteine.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 10
- DSM-IV diagnosis of current major depressive episode and major depressive disorder
- Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score of at least 20
- Comorbid axis I or II disorders
- Antidepressant use in past 6 months
- Current use of herbal remedies
- Cigarette smoking
- Drug or medication use within past 8 weeks
- History of substance abuse/neurotoxin use
- History of psychotic symptoms
- History of CNS medical illness
- Current substance use
- Test positive on pregnancy test (women)
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- SINGLE_GROUP
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Existing medication treatment & NAC N-acetylcysteine (NAC) Existing depression medication treatment and n-acetylcysteine for seven weeks of treatment Existing medication treatment & NAC Existing depression medication treatment Existing depression medication treatment and n-acetylcysteine for seven weeks of treatment Sertraline and n-acetylcysteine N-acetylcysteine (NAC) Sertraline and n-acetylcysteine for seven weeks of treatment Citalopram and n-acetylcysteine N-acetylcysteine (NAC) Citalopram and n-acetylcysteine for seven weeks of treatment Sertraline and n-acetylcysteine Sertraline Sertraline and n-acetylcysteine for seven weeks of treatment Citalopram and n-acetylcysteine Citalopram Citalopram and n-acetylcysteine for seven weeks of treatment
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method MAO-A distribution volume with positron emission tomography before and after treatment, 7 weeks on average between measures Treatment take 1 week for titration and 6 weeks at full dose=7weeks average
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Hamilton Depression Rating Scale Score before and after treatment, 7 weeks on average between measures Treatment takes 1 week for titration and 6 weeks at full dose=7 weeks average
Blood markers of monoamine oxidase-A fragment level and glutathione level before and after treatment, 7 weeks on average between measures Treatment takes 1 week for titration and 6 weeks at full dose=7 weeks average
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (n-acetylaspartate and glutathione levels) before and after treatment, 7 weeks on average between measures Treatment takes 1 week for titration and 6 weeks at full dose=7 weeks average
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
🇨🇦Toronto, Ontario, Canada