Depression
Conditions
Interventions
Participants receive, in a randomized, counterbalanced order, and under double-bind conditions, tryptophan-deficient and balanced amino acid mixtures on the mornings of two non-consecutive test days.
Sponsors
Sponsor is NWO-MAGW
Perfomer: University of Groningen in collaboration with University Medical Center Groningen
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Age 18-65 yrs; 2. At least one first-degree family member with MDD (FH+) or no first- and second-degree family members with MDD (FH-); 3. Willingness to cooperate; to sign written informed consent; 4. Declared healthy after medical interview.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Any current or past DSM-IV Axis I disorder; 2. Any contraindicated medical condition as determined by history; 3. Not speaking Dutch fluently; 4. Current or past use of neuroleptics, sedative drugs, antidepressants etc; 5. Current or past alcohol and/or substance abuse or dependence; 6. On test days positive urine test for drugs of abuse; 7. Women: Pregnancy (urine test) or initiation of hormonal treatments ≤ 3 months of screening.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Primary outcome is empathic accuracy measured with an empathic accuracy task (EAT). | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Secondary outcome measures are the amount of behavioural mimicry, speech characteristics, heart rate variability (HRV), scores on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Finally, polymorphisms of genes thought to be related to MDD are analysed. | — |
Contacts
Public ContactK. Hogenelst
University of Groningen, Experimental Psychopathology Grote Kruisstraat 2/1
Outcome results
None listed