Neural predictors of successful brief psychodynamic psychotherapy for persistent depression.

Background: Psychodynamic psychotherapy has been used to treat depression for more than a century. However, not all patients respond equally well, and there are few reliable predictors of treatment outcome.

Methods: We used resting (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) scans immediately before and after a structured, open trial of brief psychodynamic psychotherapy (n = 16) in conjunction with therapy process ratings and clinical outcome measures to identify neural correlates of treatment response.

A randomized, controlled, pilot study of acamprosate added to escitalopram in adults with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder.

We sought to examine the efficacy and safety of acamprosate augmentation of escitalopram in patients with concurrent major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorders. Twenty-three adults (43% female; mean ± SD age, 46 ± 14 years) were enrolled and received 12 weeks of treatment with psychosocial support; escitalopram, 10 to 30 mg/d; and either acamprosate, 2000 mg/d (n = 12), or identical placebo (n = 11). Outcomes included change in clinician ratings of depressive symptoms, MDD response and remission rates, changes in frequency and intensity of alcohol use, retention rates, and adverse events.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of aripiprazole adjunctive to antidepressant therapy among depressed outpatients with inadequate response to prior antidepressant therapy (ADAPT-A Study).

Background: We assessed the efficacy of low-dose aripiprazole added to antidepressant therapy (ADT) in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with inadequate response to prior ADT.

Methods: As per the sequential parallel comparison design, 225 MDD subjects were randomized to adjunctive treatment with aripiprazole 2 mg/day or placebo across two 30-day phases, with a 2:3:3 randomization ratio to drug/drug (aripiprazole 2 mg/day in phase 1; 5 mg/day in phase 2), placebo/placebo (placebo in both phases), and placebo/drug (placebo in phase 1; aripiprazole 2 mg/day in phase 2). Eligible subjects were patients whose MDD was independently deemed 'valid' with SAFER criteria.

Efficacy of dose increase among nonresponders to low-dose aripiprazole augmentation in patients with inadequate response to antidepressant treatment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, efficacy trial.

Objective: To examine the efficacy of a dose increase of aripiprazole to 5 mg/d in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) who did not respond to 4 weeks of treatment with aripiprazole 2 mg/d in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parent study.

Method: 221 Subjects with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient Edition-diagnosed DSM-IV-TR MDD (mean ± SD age, 45 ± 11 years; 64% women) with inadequate antidepressant response were recruited from September 2008-July 2009 and randomized to 60 days of double-blind augmentation with either aripiprazole or placebo in two 30-day phases. The study was performed across 8 academic hospital sites and 14 nonacademic (private clinic) sites throughout the United States.

Early improvements in anxiety, depression, and anger/hostility symptoms and response to antidepressant treatment.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine whether treatment response to fluoxetine by depressed outpatients was predicted by early improvement on any of 3 subscales (Anxiety, Depression, and Anger/Hostility) of the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ).

Methods: We evaluated 169 depressed outpatients (52.6% female) between ages 18 and 65 (mean age, 40.

Anxious depression and early changes in the HAMD-17 anxiety-somatization factor items and antidepressant treatment outcome.

The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between early changes in anxiety/somatization symptoms and treatment outcome among major depressive disorder patients during a 12-week trial of fluoxetine. We also examined the relationship between anxious depression and treatment response. Five hundred and ten major depressive disorder patients received 12 weeks of fluoxetine with flexible dosing [target dosages: 10 mg/day (week 1), 20 mg/day (weeks 2-4), 40 mg/day (weeks 4-8), and 60 mg/day (weeks 5-12)].