Stress Systems and Psychotherapy in Depression (Bio-COPE)

October 22, 2020 updated by: Dr. Sarah Schumacher, Freie Universität Berlin

Biological Correlates of an Internet-based Psychological Intervention for Depression

Dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as well as maladaptive activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are discussed as relevant factors in the development of a major depressive episode and as a correlate of its clinical manifestation. Preliminary evidence suggests that the hypercortisolaemic pattern in a subgroup of depressed patients may predict non-responses to psychotherapeutic treatment. At the same time, it is conceivable that disorder-related alterations in HPA axis and ANS regulation change in response to effective treatment, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and that those changes could parallel changes in depressive symptoms. Identifying such associations may shed light on biological and psychological mechanisms of action underlying successful treatment.

However, so far, no studies have investigated depressed patients with regard to dysregulation in both stress systems, HPA axis and ANS, before psychotherapeutic treatment, nor have changes in functioning of both systems been inspected in response to treatment. Moreover, a detailed investigation of depressive symptom trajectories over the course of treatment and its associations with changes in HPA axis and ANS regulation is lacking. It can be speculated that specific techniques of the treatment, e.g., typical CBT elements, such as behavioural activation or cognitive restructuring, might particularly be associated with changes in HPA axis and ANS regulation.

The main aims of this project are to investigate:

  1. whether diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase as well as hair cortisol concentrations change from pre- to post-intervention in treatment responders compared to non-responders;
  2. whether diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase concentrations change from pre- to mid-intervention and from mid- to post-intervention in treatment responders compared to non-responders;
  3. whether changes in diurnal salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase and hair cortisol concentrations are significantly correlated with changes in depressive symptoms;

  4. whether concentrations of diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase as well as hair cortisol at pre-treatment predict future treatment response (i.e., on a psychological level).

    On an exploratory level, it will be investigated:

  5. which elements of a CBT intervention for depression (behavioural activation vs. cognitive restructuring) are associated with changes in diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase concentrations.

It is hypothesised:

  1. that pre- to post-intervention decreases in diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase as well as hair cortisol concentrations will be more pronounced in responders compared to non-responders.
  2. that pre- to mid-intervention and mid- to post-intervention decreases in diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase will be more pronounced in responders compared to non-responders.
  3. that changes in depressive symptoms will significantly correlate with changes in diurnal cortisol and diurnal alpha-amylase as well as hair cortisol concentrations.
  4. that pre-intervention diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase as well as hair cortisol concentrations will be higher in future non-responders, compared to responders.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Recruitment:

Patients will be recruited from an ongoing project providing an internet-based cognitive behavioral intervention for patients suffering from mild to moderate depression.

Protocol:

In this study, a total of N=42 patients fulfilling criteria for a current major depressive episode will undergo a 6-week internet-based cognitive behavioural intervention which consists of seven consecutive modules. Diurnal (salivary) and hair cortisol as well as diurnal (salivary) alpha-amylase will be assessed immediately before and after treatment, and at mid-treatment (i.e., after four of seven modules). Saliva samples (six samples per day) will be collected over two consecutive days. One hair sample will be obtained at pre- and post-intervention assessments respectively.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
42

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Germany
      • Berlin, Germany, 14195
        • Freie Universitaet Berlin

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Current major depressive episode (F32.0, F32.1, F33.0, F33.1)
  • Agreement to participate in the study
  • At least 18 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders (F20-F29)
  • Acute suicidal patients
  • Acute manic episode
  • Substance related abuse or addiction
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Chronic somatic diseases
  • Severe somatic diseases (e.g., endocrinological, neurological, autoimmune diseases)
  • Glucocorticoid medication intake during the last six months
  • Concurrent psychotherapeutic treatment

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: iCBT for depression - behavioral activation first (BAF)
internet-based intervention for mild to moderate depression: patients receive behavioral activation first, followed by cognitive restructuring
Behavioral: internet-based intervention for mild to moderate depression
The six-weeks, therapist-guided, internet-based intervention for depression includes expressive writing tasks and further consists of key elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression. In seven consecutive modules, patients receive psychoeducation and instructions for weekly tasks, and an individualized feedback letter of their therapist after each module. The intervention is effective in reducing depressive symptoms (Zagorscak et al., 2018). In the current study, patients will be randomly assigned to two different conditions with varying orders of modules: 1. patients will receive two modules (module 3 and 4) of behavioral activation, followed by two modules (modules 5 and 6) of cognitive restructuring; 2. patients will receive two modules (module 3 and 4) of cognitive restructuring, followed by two modules (modules 5 and 6) of behavioral activation. All other modules (1, 2 and 7) will be identical across conditions.
Experimental: iCBT for depression - cognitive restructuring first (CRF)
internet-based intervention for mild to moderate depression: patients receive cognitive restructuring first, followed by behavioral activation
Behavioral: internet-based intervention for mild to moderate depression
The six-weeks, therapist-guided, internet-based intervention for depression includes expressive writing tasks and further consists of key elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression. In seven consecutive modules, patients receive psychoeducation and instructions for weekly tasks, and an individualized feedback letter of their therapist after each module. The intervention is effective in reducing depressive symptoms (Zagorscak et al., 2018). In the current study, patients will be randomly assigned to two different conditions with varying orders of modules: 1. patients will receive two modules (module 3 and 4) of behavioral activation, followed by two modules (modules 5 and 6) of cognitive restructuring; 2. patients will receive two modules (module 3 and 4) of cognitive restructuring, followed by two modules (modules 5 and 6) of behavioral activation. All other modules (1, 2 and 7) will be identical across conditions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in salivary cortisol concentration
Time Frame: pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Changes in diurnal profiles (six time points: awakening, +30 min., 11am, 2 pm, 6pm, 9pm) of salivary cortisol concentration (nmol/l), measured on two consecutive days, at mid-intervention and post-intervention in responders compared to non-responders to the psychological intervention (assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9))
pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Differences in salivary cortisol concentration
Time Frame: pre-intervention
Differences in diurnal profiles (six time points: awakening, +30 min., 11am, 2 pm, 6pm, 9pm) of cortisol concentration (nmol/l), measured on two consecutive days, at pre-intervention in responders compared to non-responders to the psychological intervention (assessed by PHQ-9)
pre-intervention
Changes in salivary alpha-amylase concentration
Time Frame: pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Changes in diurnal profiles (six time points: awakening, +30 min., 11am, 2 pm, 6pm, 9pm) of salivary alpha-amylase concentration (U/ml), measured on two consecutive days, at mid-intervention and post-intervention in responders compared to non-responders to the psychological intervention (assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9))
pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Differences in salivary alpha-amylase concentration
Time Frame: pre-intervention
Differences in diurnal profiles (six time points: awakening, +30 min., 11am, 2 pm, 6pm, 9pm) of salivary alpha-amylase concentration (U/ml), measured on two consecutive days, at pre-intervention in responders compared to non-responders to the psychological intervention (assessed by PHQ-9)
pre-intervention
Changes in hair cortisol concentration
Time Frame: pre-intervention, post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Changes in hair cortisol concentrations (nmol/l) at post-intervention in responders compared to non-responders to the psychological intervention (assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9))
pre-intervention, post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Differences in hair cortisol concentration
Time Frame: pre-intervention
Differences in hair cortisol concentrations (nmol/l) at pre-intervention in responders compared to non-responders to the psychological intervention (assessed by PHQ-9)
pre-intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sleep quality (self-report)
Time Frame: pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Changes in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); scale ranges from 0 to 21
pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Chronic stress (self-report)
Time Frame: pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Changes in Trier Inventory for the assessment of chronic stress - TICS (Trier Inventar zum chronischen Stress), scale ranges from 0 to 48
pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Cognitive biases (self-report)
Time Frame: pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)
Changes in Cognitive Styles Assessment (COSTA-21); scale ranges from 0 to 5 per item
pre-intervention, mid-intervention (after an average of three weeks), post-intervention (after an average of six weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Freie Universität Berlin

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 20, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 6, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 6, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 13, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 21, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 26, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 23, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 22, 2020

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Stress_DEP

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Major Depressive Episode

Clinical Trials on internet-based intervention for mild to moderate depression

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings