Duke Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Depression in Late Life

Conte Centers for the Neuroscience of Depression

The proposed Silvio O. Conte Center for Neuroscience of Depression will focus on understanding the neurobiological mechanism of depression. A total of 5 projects are proposed. The center is focused on a single hypothesis. The first project examines localization of lesions, structural changes in critical regions subserving the circuit, alterations in the white matter tracts relevant to the circuit and changes in glutamate. The second project uses post mortem cell counting and cellular localization in serotonin receptors and assessment of the type of cell loss in the orbitofrontal cortex. The third project uses cognitive paradigms and functional MRI to probe the circuit and the role of brain lesions and serotonin on the functioning of this circuit. The fourth project uses transgenic and knockout mice to examine to role of norepinephrine and serotonin as it relates to the circuit. The final project is designed to assess in these transgenic mice using multielectrode array of single neuron recordings of the firing pattern of the circuit neurons in various states and tasks and the role of monoamines in modulating this circuit.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Major Depression

Detailed Description

Three shared resources, administrative, research and assessment and data management/statistics are proposed to facilitate the conduct of these projects and to ensure integration at the conceptual, analytical and resource availability level, and flow to the various projects. Findings from the center should greatly enhance our understanding of the biology of depressive disorders and help improve the treatment of these disorders. In addition, the technological innovations developed in the context of this project are likely to be of major importance and relevant to other studies of brain function.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 795

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710
      • Duke University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 60 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Primary care clinic; Outpatient psychiatry clinic; Inpatient psychiatry clinic; Self-referral

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For depressed group:

1. Age > 60 years
2. Major depression, single episode or recurrent
3. Ability to read and write English
4. MMSE >25
5. Willingness to participate in the follow-up study for at least two years.

For non-depressed group:

1. Age > 60 years
2. Ability to read and write English
3. MMSE >25
4. Willingness to participate in the follow-up study for at least two years

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Lifetime alcohol or drug dependence
2. Conditions associated with MRI abnormalities such hydrocephalus, benign and cancerous brain tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, dementia, demyelinating diseases, etc.
3. Endocrine disorder (other than diabetes mellitus)
4. Any physical or intellectual disability that may affect completion of self rating instruments
5. Established clinical diagnosis of dementia
6. Other primary psychiatric disorders, including panic disorder, social phobia, OCD, non-affective psychosis (including schizo-affective disorder), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder
7. Any metal or pacemaker in the body which precludes MRI.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Depressed; Older individuals with major depression
Non-depressed; Older individuals without major depression

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Each of the projects in the Duke Conte Center has its own aims and primary outcomes	Up to five years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Duke University
• Collaborators: University of Mississippi Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ranga R Krishnan, MB, ChB, Duke University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2006
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 18, 2007
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 18, 2007
• First Posted (Estimate): December 19, 2007

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): February 22, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 20, 2012
• Last Verified: February 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Depression; Elderly; Neuroimaging; Postmortem; Knockout mouse
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00007678