Participate in Depression Research
Do you want to get involved in research?
Click on the condition to view a list of research studies.
All studies on this site have been approved by the U-M Institutional Review Board. New studies are added often, so if you don't find one that suits you or a loved one, check back again soon. If you know people who might be interested in participating in clinical research at U-M, but who don't have access to a computer, please search the database for them and give them the phone number for individual trials. |
Thousands of people take part in U-M studies each year - and each person's participation matters! Research volunteers help our doctors and researchers test new drugs and medical devices, evaluate new medical procedures, improve medical care, and discover new things about the human body and mind.
Why participate in research?
Research is the best way to understand depression and develop new treatment options. All of the treatments that we have today that work to help with depression are available because others like you have agreed to participate in research studies. Without patients and research we cannot conquer this disease.
The Depression Center research programs build on a long tradition of excellence. There are a number of different types of research involving people with depression being conducted within the Depression Center.
Participating in research is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference in improving mental health care, and there are many ways to get involved. We asked several researchers at the Depression Center to provide their perspectives on research participation based on their many years of experience developing studies and working with participants.
Clinical trials test how well new medications work individually and in new combinations. We work with medical experts throughout the country on the development of better treatments for depression. Clinical trials usually refer to a standardized treatment program that always includes an active treatment, but may include inactive treatment also (placebo). In some cases, it may include new treatments where their effectiveness is tested. But, ultimately we need to know more about the causes of depression to design the best treatment strategies.
Understanding what causes depression: Many studies of depression are more basic in nature. That is, the goal of the studies are to understand just what goes wrong in depression and what may change when depression improves. For example, many studies examine how the brain functions in those people with and without major depression. These studies often focus on brain activation, hormonal regulation or sleep patterns.
Outcome studies help us understand which treatments work best for depressed patients in real world situations. Outcome measures also help us to look at exactly how an individual patient is doing over time.
Prevention is our ultimate goal. In order to prevent depression we need to be able to predict who might get depression and which of the changes we see in the biology of depression may be present before depression starts. Good treatment can help prevent recurrences of depression, but some of the consequences of getting depressed may already be set in motion. We know depression can affect many systems of the body and increase the likelihood of heart disease and loss of bone calcium (osteoporosis). And we know that stress and depression worsens many other physical illnesses like diabetes or asthma. New prevention strategies are needed to stop the disease before it occurs.
Many studies conducted by Depression Center members are supported by are supported by the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR), which integrates education, career development, infrastructure, and support to catalyze translational research that spans the laboratory, the clinic, and the community. MICHR also maintains the UMClinicalStudies.org website, linking potential volunteers to research studies.
