Department of Psychiatry

Participating in one of the center’s research studies involves coming to the Depression Center, on the Aurora campus, for regular visits. During your visit you will most often meet with a study psychiatrist and a study coordinator. The first visits during a study typically include a variety of assessments including a physical exam, blood tests, a test to monitor your heart and a variety of psychiatric evaluations which allow the clinician to collect a thorough history of your mood disorder and to monitor your mood symptoms during the course of the study. These assessments are typically done over the course of one to three appointments. Most of the studies in the Depression Center involve treatment with a study medication which is provided to study participants at no cost. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm and research appointments are typically scheduled during that time.

Research studies tend to have very specific criteria which are used to determine your appropriateness for a study. We take great care in making sure that study participants are a good match for the study. Determining eligibility for study participation typically begins with a 15-20 minute evaluation over the phone. During this interview we will ask you various questions about your medical and psychiatric history. If it is determined that you may meet criteria for the study, you will be asked to come to the clinic in order to meet with a member of the research staff to get all the details about participating in the study. A member of the research staff will carefully review the study consent form with you which is a document describing the possible risks and benefits of the study. You will have an opportunity to ask questions about the study.

There may be several benefits to participating in a research study at the Depression Center. First, all study-related evaluations and treatment will be offered to you at no-cost. While we do not pay individuals for participating in studies, we are often able to provide compensation for parking and travel. Second, participating in a study often allows you to gain access to a new, experimental medication treatment that is not yet available to the general public. This is often very desirable for individuals who have exhausted other treatment options. Third, the research staff are experts in the field of mood disorders and are committed to excellence in clinical care. If you are interested, we are willing to discuss our findings concerning your history and diagnosis.

There may be risks or disadvantages to participating in a research study. First, in some medication studies there is the possibility that you may be assigned to the placebo group. Members of the placebo group do not receive the study drug but rather a placebo (sugar pill), which is an inactive substance that contains no study drug. If you enroll in a study with a placebo you will be informed of the chance you have of being assigned to the placebo group. Placebo-controlled studies tend to be “double-blind” studies which mean you will never know to which medication group you have been assigned. Another possible disadvantage of participating in a study is that they may be more time consuming then a normal visit to your psychiatrist. Your participation will require you to complete several questionnaires and evaluations that you would not have to complete if you were pursuing traditional psychiatric treatment for your mood disorder.

You are allowed to drop out of the research study at any time.

When individuals have completed all phases of a study, they will be provided with appropriate referrals for treatment in their community.