Pain is a natural response to injury to let us know there may be damage to our bodies. Pain is the way our body tells us that we must take care of ourselves. Chronic pain is different and lasts for a long time. In some cases, chronic pain remains without any sign of body damage. Today, there is no way for a doctor to measure someone's chronic pain or…
This is a research study to understand what causes bipolar disorder and how medications treat bipolar depression. Particularly, we are looking at the importance of inflammation in the process. If you participate, you will receive an experimental medication for your depression named ethyl eicosapentaenoic acid (ethyl EPA), an omega 3 fatty acid. You will…
The goal of this study is to examine how effective and well-tolerated a possible new treatment for individuals who injure themselves frequently will be. All research procedures can be done from home no in-person visits are required. We are studying a minimal-risk form of electrical brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS.…
We are currently enrolling individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to participate in this research study. The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an investigational medication, brexpiprazole, for PTSD. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive either brexpiprazole, sertraline (also known as…
Approximately half of the individuals with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) present with major depressive disorder (MDD). Compared to PTSD alone, patients with comorbid PTSD-MDD demonstrate greater distress and poorer treatment outcome. The goal of this pilot study is to collect preliminary data on the feasibility, safety, and initial efficacy of an…
We are trying to understand what causes bipolar disorder and how medications treat bipolar depression. If you participate, you will have two different brain scans (MRI and PET scan). You will also have antidepressant treatment for free. We will then be able to see whether information on the brain scans connects with how people do on the medications. The…
Emerging research has demonstrated a relationship between visual attention patterns and anxiety disorders, including PTSD. This study is designed to examine these visual attention patterns using eye-tracking A simple device that monitors eye-movements. The study included two sessions conducted approximately 1 week apart, each no longer than 1 hour. In both…
We are trying to understand what causes bipolar disorder and how medications treat bipolar depression. Particularly, we are looking at the importance of dopamine signaling in the process. If you participate, you will have two different brain scans (MRI and PET scan). You will also have treatment for your depression with an FDA approved medication,…
This study is a double-blind and placebo-controlled study to assess its efficacy of the new drug Lumateperone for patients with Major Depressive Episodes associated with Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorder. Lumateperone is thought to exert its antidepressant effect through interaction with sereotogenic, dopaminergic, and glutamergic neurotransmitter targets.…
We will evaluate the D-cycloserine (DCS) and lurasidone with MRI measurement of brain responses to DCS. DCS is a drug that works on the same brain receptor as ketamine. DCS is not approved by the FDA for bipolar depression. Study participants will receive a dose of lurasidone or placebo in one MRI and a dose of DCS in another, followed by an optional follow…