Clinical trial NCT00260182: Genetics of Recurrent Early Onset Major Depression
Official title: Genetics of Recurrent Early Onset Major Depression
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Depression
Keywords: Depressive Disorder
Family
Genetics
Lead sponsor: Stanford University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
First posted: 2005-12-01
Enrollment: 2302
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 21
Maximum age (years): 70
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: The study will include participants with a family history of depression.

Brief summary: This study will identify specific genes that may cause a predisposition to depression in some families.

Detailed description: Depression is a serious medical illness that is often difficult to diagnose and treat. Studies on patterns of depression within families suggest that inherited genes may cause a predisposition to the disorder. People with early onset depression often have more relatives with depression than people whose depression does not begin until later in life. It is likely that several interacting genes cause this tendency towards the disorder, rather than one specific gene. This study will serve to identify particular genes that may cause a susceptibility to depression in order to better understand the brain mechanisms involved with severe depression. In turn, this may aid in the development of new treatments for depression.

Participation in this observational study will entail one interview and one blood test. Participants will be interviewed, either in person or by telephone, about their personal and family psychiatric history. The blood sample will be collected at a time and location that is convenient for the participant. Participants may also be asked to invite other family members to participate in the study.

For information on a related study please follow this link:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00005914

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* History of recurrent major depression
* Has a parent or sibling with a history of recurrent major depression
* Depression began before the age of 31

Exclusion Criteria:

* Bipolar I (manic-depressive) disorder
* Schizophrenia

Primary outcomes:
measure: Major depressive disorder diagnosis
timeFrame: One patient interview session (typically 2 hours), and blood draw (10-20 minutes)
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Palo Alto
country: United States
facility: Stanford University
state: California
city: Washington
country: United States
facility: Howard University
state: District of Columbia
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Rush University Medical Center
state: Illinois
city: Iowa City
country: United States
facility: University of Iowa
state: Iowa
city: Baltimore
country: United States
facility: Johns Hopkins University
state: Maryland
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute
state: New York
Study officials:
affiliation: Stanford University
name: Douglas F. Levinson, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute
name: Myrna M. Weissman, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Johns Hopkins University
name: J. Raymond DePaulo, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Rush University Medical Center
name: William A. Scheftner, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Iowa
name: William Coryell, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Howard University
name: William Lawson, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: