Stimulant Enhancement of Well-Being Therapy for Depression

This study aims to identify a novel enhancement strategy for residual symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) Dopamine (DA) has been viewed as a "pleasure neurotransmitter" for over 30 years. Yet recent data from animal and human studies suggest that dopamine has greater effects on "wanting" than on "liking." Therefore, the investigators of this study have hypothesized that amphetamine/d-amphetamine (AMPH), a medication which increases dopamine transmission in the reward centers of the brain, may have a more powerful antidepressant effect in combination with well-being therapy (WBT), a specific type of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps individuals with depression to increase their contact with natural rewards and decrease reward-interfering thoughts.

The investigators will test their hypothesis by randomizing 40 individuals with residual symptoms of depression, already taking an antidepressant that affects serotonin (e.g. Prozac, Paxil), to 8 weeks of treatment with either WBT in combination with AMPH, or WBT with pill placebo. The effectiveness of each treatment will be measured using a reliable scale, called the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

The investigators have also hypothesized that people assigned to the stimulant/WBT group will have greater improvements in functioning, well-being, and positive affectivity than those the people assigned to the WBT/placebo group.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine; Behavioral: Well-being therapy; Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

The study will have 11 visits occur over 8 weeks with study visits scheduled weekly or biweekly.

Detailed Description:

The study visit occurrences are as follows:

1. Week 0- Screening Visit
2. Week 1- Baseline Visit
3. Week 2- one phone visit and one clinic visit in one week
4. Week 3- one phone visit and one clinic visit in one week
5. Week 4- one visit in one week
6. Week 5- one visit in one week
7. Week 6- one visit in one week
8. Week 7- one visit in one week
9. Week 8- one visit in one week

WBT description Four licensed therapists, who have been trained and certified in WBT, will provide weekly sessions of 30 to 50 minutes in duration. Therapists will follow the procedures outlined in the WBT manual. The initial sessions (weeks 0-2) will be focused on identifying and contextualizing episodes of well-being. The intermediate sessions (weeks 3-5) will be focused on modifying cognitions and behaviors, which lead to premature interruption of well-being, and optimizing cognitions and behaviors, which have been idiographically linked to enhanced well-being. Final sessions (weeks 6-8) will apply the Psychological Well-Being scales (PWB) to refine treatment according to Ryff's dimensions of well-being. Additional principles and techniques of WBT include reappraisal, mood-charting, scheduling of activities, shaping, problem-solving, and assertiveness training.

Medication Schedule Participants will receive treatment with the stimulant, amphetamine/d-amphetamine, or matched placebo.

Participants will start at 1 pill (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine/d-amphetamine) in the morning and 1 pill (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine/d-amphetamine) at noon. The treatment will then be flexibly adjusted up or down by a study clinician based on participant's response. Dose ranges will be 1-3 pills (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine) in the morning and 1-3 pills (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine) at noon.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 5
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
      • Depression Clinical and Research Program

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 58 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria

1. Outpatients between 18 and 60 years of age.
2. Experiencing residual symptoms after 8 weeks of SSRI therapy, with at least 4 weeks at a stable dose of the current agent prior to randomization.
3. Fulfillment of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for MDD during the present episode of illness with continuing residual symptoms.
4. A score of 14 to 26 on the 31-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-31) at screening and randomization.
5. A Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI-S) score of 3 or 4 at screening and randomization.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Treatment within 4 weeks of randomization with any non-SSRI antidepressant, antipsychotic, mood stabilizer, standing benzodiazepine, stimulant, or stimulant-like agent.

   1. Allowed exception 1: Concomitant benzodiazepines, at a stable dose, that have been taken for at least one year with no history of abuse.
   2. Allowed exception 2: Effexor, duloxetine (Cymbalta) or milnacipran (Savella) can serve as main SSRI treatment.
   3. Allowed exception 3: Combinations of SSRIs (ex. Zoloft & Lexapro concomitantly) are acceptable as main SSRI treatment.
2. If a subject endorses "yes" or "agree" of any item from 12 to 23 on the CHRT, it would indicate active suicidality and would be exclusionary.
3. Significant suicide risk.
4. Current treatment-resistant episode of MDD.
5. A primary diagnosis of an Axis I disorder other than MDD.
6. History of a psychotic disorder, dysthymia, antisocial personality disorder, BPD, or mental retardation.
7. History of a substance use disorder, with the exception of nicotine dependence, within 12 months prior to screening.
8. History of stimulant abuse, prescription drug abuse, and eating disorders.
9. Initial insomnia at screening that is not adequately controlled by medications. Subjects with recent history of unstable insomnia as defined by active or poorly controlled symptoms of insomnia within the past 1 month will be excluded.
10. Co-morbid medical conditions including a structural heart defect or rhythm abnormality that might be exacerbated by stimulant therapy; hypertension as measured by a resting sitting systolic blood pressure of > 149mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 95mmHg; tachycardia as measured by a sitting pulse rate of >100 bpm or <50 bpm after resting for 5 minutes.
11. Allergy, hypersensitivity, intolerance, or history of non-responsivity to stimulant medications.
12. History of non-responsivity to CBT or well-being therapy.
13. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
14. Glaucoma or hyperthyroidism
15. Current concomitant therapy is only permitted if it is supportive therapy (not specifically CBT) and has been ongoing for at least one year. However, if a subject has been in therapy for less than one year and wishes to discontinue or take a hiatus from their current therapy before coming in for a screening visit, this will be allowed. Additionally, subjects may not enter into other talk therapies for the duration of this study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: WBT + amphetamine/dextroamphetamine; In the active group, participants will receive treatment with Well-being therapy and amphetamine-dextroamphetamine.	Drug: Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine; The amphetamine/dextroamphetamine will be in a pill formulation. The dosage of the amphetamine/dextroamphetamine will be flexibly adjusted up or down by a study clinician based on the participant's response. Dose ranges will be 1-3 pills (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine) in the morning and 1-3 pills (placebo or 5 mg amphetamine) at noon.; Other Names: Adderall; Adderall XR; Behavioral: Well-being therapy; Therapy sessions will last between 30-50 minutes. The sessions will take place at every visit after the screening visit.; Other Names: WBT
Placebo Comparator: WBT + placebo; In the placebo group, participants will receive treatment with Well-being therapy and pill placebo.	Behavioral: Well-being therapy; Therapy sessions will last between 30-50 minutes. The sessions will take place at every visit after the screening visit.; Other Names: WBT; Drug: Placebo; The placebo will match the dextroamphetamine in form, dosage, frequency, and duration.; Other Names: Sugar-pill

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Hamilton-Depression Rating Scale(SIGH-D)-17 Items	Comparison between the 2 groups of the percentage of subjects in remission, as defined by a HAM-D-17 score of < 8 at endpoint visit 11/week 8 of treatment, or early termination visit.	Baseline and visit 11/week 8 of treatment, or between baseline and early termination visit.
Change in Hamilton-Depression Rating Scale(SIGH-D)-31 Item	Comparison between the 2 groups of the percentage of participants who have responded to the treatment (response is defined here as a 50% or greater improvement on the HAM-D-31 score) between Baseline and Visit 11 or Early Termination Visit.	Baseline to Visit 11 (which is week 8 of treatment) or Early Termination Visit.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Psychological Well-being Scale (PWB)	Well-being improvement: Comparison between the 2 groups of changes on the PWB at Baseline and Visit 11/Early Termination.	Baseline to Visit 11 (which is 8 weeks of treatment) or Early Termination Visit.
Change in the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS)	Improvement of anhedonia: Comparison between the 2 groups of changes on the SHAPS at Baseline and Visit 11/Early Termination.	Baseline to Visit 11 (which is 8 weeks of treatment) or Early Termination Visit.
Change in Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Scale (BIS/BAS)	Improvement of deficits in behavioral activation: Comparison between the 2 groups of changes on the BIS/BAS at Baseline and Visit 11/Early Termination.	Baseline to Visit 11 (which is 8 weeks of treatment) or Early Termination Visit.
Change in Positive and Negative Affective Scale (PANAS)	Improvement of deficits in positive affectivity: Comparison between the 2 groups of changes on the PANAS at Baseline and Visit 11/Early Termination.	Baseline to Visit 11 (which is 8 weeks of treatment) or Early Termination Visit.
Change in Functioning on Short Form-12(SF-12)	Functional improvement: Comparison between the 2 groups of changes on the SF-12 scale at Baseline and Visit 11/Early termination visit.	Baseline to Visit 11 (which is 8 weeks of treatment) or Early Termination Visit.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital
• Collaborators: Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Maurizio Fava, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 26, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): November 23, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 26, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 16, 2017
• Last Verified: March 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Depression; Therapy; Major Depressive Disorder; Medication study; Therapy study
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Adrenergic Agents; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Membrane Transport Modulators; Dopamine Agents; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Sympathomimetics; Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; Amphetamine; Dextroamphetamine; Adderall
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2011P002148; 2011D002171 (Other Grant/Funding Number: InfoED ID: Kaplen Fellowship and Livingston Award)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: No plan to make IPD available.