PADI Study

STUDY BASICS

Have you been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder, and are you aged 18-45? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study to help learn more about brain function in people with mood disorders. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Major depressive disorder (also called depression or clinical depression) is a serious and common illness. Symptoms of depression include feeling sad or hopeless, feeling tired or not having energy, having changes in appetite or activity, and having thoughts of death or suicide. Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive illness) is an illness that causes unusual shifts in feelings of mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks (NIMH). Periods of time when people feel very “up” are called mania, and periods of time when people feel very “down” are called depression. People struggling with depression often have difficulty with emotional response. The purpose of this study is to examine how people who suffer from depression or bipolar disorder process emotional information. Researchers will compare people with and without mood disorders, and hope their findings will lead to better ways to diagnose and treat mood disorders.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Ages 18-45
• Right-handed
• Have depression or bipolar disorder
• Not currently in a manic state
• Not currently pregnant
• Willing and able to have an fMRI or NIRS scan

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participation involves up to 2 visits lasting 3-5 hours each. Participants will have a lifetime psychiatric evaluation during their first visit. Eligible participants will then be asked to complete various computer tasks during their second visit. Participants will have an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) or near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) scan during some of these tasks. fMRI and NIRS scans produce images of your brain. These scans are non-invasive, painless and do not use X-ray radiation.