Herbert W. "Skip" Virgin, M.D., Ph.D.,
seeks causes for disease
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Herbert W. "Skip" Virgin, M.D., Ph.D., seeks causes for disease |
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Volunteers needed for depression, Parkinson's disease study
By Jim Dryden Investigators in the School of Medicine are seeking volunteers for a research study for patients with Parkinson's disease and depression. Many patients with Parkinson's disease get depressed, but the problem can go unrecognized. The reason is that some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease -- such as slow movement and difficulty making facial expressions -- also are symptoms of depression. Another complication involves medication. "A lot of medications used to treat depression are not as effective in people who also have Parkinson's disease," said Theresa Kormos, lead investigator and a mental health clinical nurse specialist in the Department of Psychiatry. "Either the drug's side effects make Parkinson's symptoms worse, or to protect patients from those side effects, the drugs are given at too low a dose to effectively treat the depression." Kormos is investigating a treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). It involves placing a magnet on the head and stimulating key regions of the brain with electromagnetic fields. Unlike another depression treatment, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), TMS does not require anesthesia, so patients can eat and drink what they want before treatment and often can drive themselves to and from appointments. TMS has had some success as a depression treatment, and it even helps temporarily alleviate some Parkinson's disease symptoms. "With any treatment for depression -- whether it's medication or ECT -- one of the first symptoms to improve is sleep, and we're finding that with TMS, sleep also is the first symptom to get better," Kormos said. To be eligible for the study, participants must be at least 18 years old and have Parkinson's disease and symptoms of depression, such as sleep problems, extreme sadness or loss of interest in normal activities. Sometimes feeling nervous can be a symptom of depression. After an initial evaluation, study subjects will receive the investigational treatment every afternoon, Monday through Friday, for two weeks. Volunteers receive treatment as outpatients. Each visit will last approximately 45 minutes, except the initial evaluation, which may take an hour or more. Participants will receive screenings, a physical exam, EKG, laboratory testing and TMS treatment free of charge. The TMS device is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a treatment for depression, but the FDA has approved using the device in research to determine whether it will be an effective depression treatment. For more information or to volunteer for the study, call toll free (866) 252-2700. |
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