Combining Antidepressant Medication & Psychotherapy for Insomnia to Improve Depression Outcome
Principal Investigator: Rachel Manber, PhD
Insomnia in Depression
Difficulties falling and / or staying asleep are common in people who suffer from depression. Persistent insomnia can hinder response to treatment. Individuals whose insomnia does not resolve with standard antidepressant therapy are at increased risk for recurrence of their depression.
With the aim of improving the overall treatment of depression, our study will evaluate a treatment strategy that simultaneously treats sleep difficulties and depression. The study will evaluate whether or not this strategy will enhance clinical outcome and lead to longer lasting benefits.
What the study entails
Eligible participants in the study receive treatment with
- An antidepressant medication (12 weeks)
- Sleep focused psychotherapy (7 sessions)
To determine eligibility participants undergo some or all of the following diagnostics procedures:
- An all night sleep study to rule out sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
- Laboratory blood test to rule out thyroid disease
- Clinical interviews to assess the severity and type of depression and insomnia
For more information, contact 650-724-9774.
Where the study is conducted
This study is conducted at the Stanford Treatment Research Center (STRC), Stanford School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
Funding
The study is federally funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH).
Recruiting through 2006
Some symptoms of depression
- feeling sad, unhappy, empty, or helpless
- low energy, fatigue, lack of motivation
- eating too little or too much
- enjoying activities less than usual
- difficulty concentrating
- feeling worthless or guilty
- trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- very low energy
Relevant links with information about
Depression
- Understanding Major Depression (2.6MB Adobe Acrobat file)
- Major Depression (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill - NAMI)
- Depression (National Institute of Mental Health - NIMH)
Insomnia
- What is Insomnia? (American Insomnia Association)
- Insomnia (National Women's Health Information Center)
Other depression research studies at Stanford:
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