Neural, Genetic, and Peripheral Correlates of SSRI Pharmaco-Response
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2015-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The aim of this pharmaco-MRI study is to investigate neural correlates of variable
antidepressant treatment response driven by genetic variation in multiple genes involved in
depression.
Thirty Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients with a concurrent major depressive episode
will undergo three MRI scanning sessions after escitalopram treatment initiation.
Furthermore, extensive behavioral assessments and measures of potential peripheral markers
such lymphocyte mRNA or pharmacological parameters on platelets or lymphocytes will be
performed.
Imaging measures have been suggested to be superior for drug response assessment as compared
to psychometric scales, which hardly correlate with biological parameters. Since imaging
techniques are too expensive and sophisticated for a broad clinical use, this study will
provide pilot data on potential peripheral biomarkers of neural activation being related to
drug response.