Mental Health clinical trials at UCSD
2 in progress, 1 open to eligible people
Postpartum Education Via Artificial Intelligence for Recovery and Loneliness: A Randomized Controlled Trial
open to eligible females ages 18 years and up
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a postpartum chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence (genAI) can help new mothers get better pelvic floor health information and feel less lonely after childbirth. The main questions this study aims to answer are: - Does using the chatbot improve postpartum pelvic floor health knowledge? - Does using the chatbot help reduce feelings of loneliness during the postpartum period? - Does using the chatbot impact pelvic floor symptoms? Researchers will compare standard postpartum care to standard care plus the chatbot. Participants will: Be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to standard postpartum care with or without access to the chatbot. If in the chatbot group, participants will receive education and support via the chatbot over a 4-week period. Both groups will complete questionnaires to measure their pelvic floor knowledge, pelvic floor symptoms, feelings of loneliness, depression, infant bonding, perceived social support, adverse childhood experiences, and peri-traumatic distress. The chatbot was created by urogynecology experts in collaboration with UC San Diego computer science and biomedical informatics researchers. The chatbot is designed to give new mothers personalized, evidence-based information and support in real time.
La Jolla, California
Psilocybin for Depression in Veterans
Sorry, not yet accepting patients
More efficacious treatments for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in Veterans are urgently needed. Psilocybin is a promising novel treatment that is likely to be the first FDA-approved psychedelic, but its safety and efficacy remain unclear. To address this gap, the investigators propose a randomized controlled trial of a single dose of psilocybin paired with a brief course of a VA-endorsed evidence-based psychotherapy (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) in Veterans with MDD. Our trial addresses key limitations of previous studies including the challenge of management of expectancy effects, a focus on Veterans with input from Veterans, and a study population that reflects the demographics and medical and psychiatric complexity of the VHA patient population. Our study also explores psilocybin's antidepressant mechanisms focusing on changes in psychological flexibility and synaptic plasticity. In sum, this study will provide critical and timely data to determine if psilocybin treatment is a safe and efficacious treatment for MDD in Veterans.
San Diego, California and other locations
Our lead scientists for Mental Health research studies include Cecile Ferrando, MD, MPH.
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