Clinical Research Directory

French Minds Cohort: a French Longitudinal and Multimodal Cohort of Patients With Major Mood Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Healthy Controls

The goal of this study is to learn whether people living with severe psychiatric disorders can be grouped into more homogeneous subgroups, across usual diagnostic categories, based on two key dimensions: social withdrawal and anhedonia (reduced ability to feel pleasure). The study includes adolescents and adults aged 15 to 60 with schizophrenia, a first psychotic episode, bipolar disorder, recurrent or treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, or autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability, as well as healthy volunteers aged 18 to 60. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can subgroups of patients sharing a common profile of social withdrawal and anhedonia be identified, with similar clinical, genetic, biological and brain imaging characteristics? * Do other dimensions (cognitive flexibility, neurodevelopmental, sensory and sleep disturbances, impulsivity) and specific clinical forms (e.g., autoimmune psychosis, metabolic abnormalities) define relevant subgroups, and how do these subgroups evolve over time? Researchers will compare patients with healthy volunteers to identify clinical and biological signatures specific to each subgroup. Participants will: * Attend an inclusion visit, two one-day assessment visits one year apart (clinical interviews, questionnaires, cognitive tests, fasting blood sample) and two brain MRI sessions * Optionally provide a stool sample collected at home * Complete questionnaires on a smartphone app and wear a connected watch (activity, sleep, heart rate) between visits * Take part in the study for about 18 months French Minds is conducted in about 35 centres in France and aims to include 2,500 patients and 500 healthy volunteers.

Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether brief psychoanalytic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reduce depressive symptoms in adults aged 18 to 65 who have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does brief psychoanalytic therapy reduce depression severity more than a waitlist control condition after 18 weeks? * Does CBT reduce depression severity more than a waitlist control condition after 18 weeks? Researchers will also compare brief psychoanalytic therapy with CBT to explore whether one works better than the other, and will examine whether changes in defense mechanisms and automatic negative thoughts explain improvement in each therapy. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to brief psychoanalytic therapy, CBT, or a waitlist control group (30 participants per group) * In the therapy groups, attend 18 weekly individual therapy sessions of 50 minutes each * In the waitlist group, continue their usual psychiatric care without psychotherapy for 18 weeks, and then be offered one of the therapies * Complete clinical interviews and questionnaires about depression, anxiety, quality of life, thought patterns and coping styles before treatment, at week 9 and at week 18 * In the therapy groups, complete follow-up assessments 6 and 12 months after treatment ends

Amygdala-Targeted Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation for Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial of Clinical Efficacy and Neurobiological Mechanisms

This randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of amygdala-targeted transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and to explore its potential neurobiological mechanisms. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Whether active amygdala-targeted tTIS reduces depressive symptoms compared with sham stimulation. Whether tTIS produces changes in amygdala-related neural activity and functional brain networks that are associated with clinical improvement. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active tTIS or sham stimulation. They will complete a course of stimulation sessions and undergo clinical assessments before and after the intervention. Neuroimaging assessments will also be performed to investigate treatment-related changes in the amygdala and associated brain networks.

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of (R)-Ketamine Hydrochloride Nasal Spray in Patients With Depression and Acute Suicidal Ideation or Behavior

The purpose of this study is to learn about: * To evaluate the efficacy of PRT-042 nasal spray for the Rapid Reduction of the depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with acute suicidal ideation or behavior * To evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics after multiple dose of PRT-042 nasal spray in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with acute suicidal ideation or behavior

EEG Microstate Parameters and Neuroinflammatory Biomarkers in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder Receiving ECT

This study aims to investigate the neurophysiological and inflammatory changes associated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder who are resistant to at least two antidepressant treatments, using microstate analysis derived from resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. Within this scope, EEG recordings obtained before and after ECT will be compared to determine the relationships between changes in microstate parameters and inflammatory marker levels, clinical variables, and psychometric scale scores reflecting clinical improvement. Peripheral blood samples collected from the same patient group will be analyzed for complete blood count parameters as well as levels of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), soluble glycoprotein 130 (sgp-130), soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R), interferon gamma-induced protein 10 kDa (IP-10), and C-reactive protein (CRP). In addition, inflammatory indices, including the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), and Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), will be calculated. The association between baseline levels of these biomarkers and treatment response will be evaluated. Moreover, changes in biomarker levels following ECT will be statistically examined in relation to clinical scale scores and EEG microstate parameters. Although microstate analysis and inflammatory biomarkers have each been extensively investigated in psychiatric disorders, studies evaluating these two biomarkers together, particularly with the inclusion of healthy control participants, remain limited. In this regard, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of ECT on patients with treatment-resistant depression using objective neurophysiological indicators, to contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of depression at the level of brain networks, and to provide a scientific basis for the development of personalized treatment approaches in the future.

A Study of ONO-1110 in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

To Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of ONO-1110 in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Serotonin Variants & Gut Microbiota in Mental Health

This observational pilot study investigates whether a broad panel of genetic variants relevant to the serotonin pathway (including serotonergic system, methylation cycle, intestinal barrier integrity, and inflammatory response genes) are associated with distinct gut microbiome compositional and functional signatures in adults aged 18-44 years with self-reported mental health conditions (Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, or Panic Disorder). This is a decentralized, participant-funded (Citizen Science) study. Eligible participants provide at-home saliva (buccal swab) and stool samples. Genomic analysis is performed using the NeuroBiologix GenePro+ SNP Panel (Illumina Infinium Global Screening Array-24, \~654,000 SNPs) via Gene By Gene, a CLIA/CAP-accredited laboratory. Gut microbiome analysis is performed by Tiny Health using deep whole-genome shotgun metagenomics (≥20 million reads) on a NextGen Illumina Platform. The study is non-interventional and hypothesis-generating, aiming to identify potential genotype-microbiome associations and estimate effect sizes to inform a future interventional trial. N=30 participants. Study Start: July 2026.

Multimodal Pharmacological Study of Clinical Cohorts for Major Depressive Disorder

This study focuses on the neurobiological changes in MDD patients with high suicidal risk during rapid antidepressant treatments, such as Esketamine and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Core ObjectivesEstablish a standardized longitudinal cohort for high-risk suicidal populations to ensure high-quality data for clinical transformation. Investigate the biological mechanisms of rapid-acting interventions by analyzing changes in brain function and molecular pathways. Develop predictive biomarkers to identify treatment responders early, thereby reducing ineffective trial-and-error treatments and lowering suicide risk. Methodology \& Data CollectionThe study integrates multi-dimensional data across three critical time points: T0 (Baseline), T1 (Acute Phase/24h post-first treatment), and T2 (Remission Phase/4-6 weeks). Sample Cohort: A total of 130 participants (70 ECT, 30 Esketamine, 30 conventional medication). Multimodal Data Integration:Clinical Phenotyping: Standardized scales including HAMD-17 (Primary Indicator), C-SSRS (Suicide Assessment), and QIDS-SR16. Biological Omics: Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), single-cell sequencing, proteomics, metabolomics, DNA methylomics, and gut metagenomics. Neuroimaging \& Physiology: Functional MRI (fMRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and 32-channel resting-state EEG. SignificanceBy capturing dynamic "treatment-response" trajectories, the project aims to move beyond descriptive symptoms to a system biology-based diagnosis. The findings are expected to provide scientific evidence for individualized intervention strategies and improve the efficiency of care for patients with treatment-resistant depression and acute suicidal ideation.

Multimodal Phenotyping in Adolescent Inpatient Depression: An Observational Study

This cohort study involves the dynamic collection of clinical information from adolescent patients with major depressive episodes (including both major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder), encompassing serum parameters, physiological-behavioral signals, neuroimaging data, and neuropsychological scales. The study aims to summarize the comprehensive clinical characteristics of this population, identify new risk factors, and establish multivariate predictive models for treatment response, cognitive and emotional impairments. Furthermore, this research will thoroughly investigate the underlying neural mechanisms linking clinical manifestations and neuroimaging features in major depressive episodes.

Psychoeducational Group for Depression

The study aims to investigate the efficacy of a psychoeducational program as an adjunctive treatment for depression. The study will involve 338 patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) of moderate severity. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Treatment as usual (TAU) alone or TAU plus the psychoeducational program. The program consists of six weekly group sessions covering information and techniques for coping with depression. Primary outcomes include a reduction in depressive symptoms measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and increased knowledge of depression. Secondary outcomes include improvements in functionality and quality of life. The study aims to provide insights into the effectiveness of psychoeducation in improving outcomes for individuals with depression