Brain Changes During Social Reward Psychotherapy for Mid- and Late-Life Suicidality: A Precision Imaging Trial
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Summary
The investigators hypothesized that during the 9-week course of Engage \& Connect treatment there will be an increase in brain functions of the Positive Valence System which in turn will lead to reduction in suicidality.
Description
Social disconnection peaks in middle and late life and leads to an increased risk of suicide, persistent depression, and poor response to psychosocial interventions. There is a critical need to develop a mechanistic understanding of the link between social disconnection and suicidality, identify biological targets, and address targets with scalable interventions. The investigators developed a novel psychotherapy, Engage \& Connect, aimed to improve functions of the Positive Valence System (PVS) that are impaired in suicidality through increased engagement in rewarding social activities. This s…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 50–80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Ages aged 50-80 \[stratified so that 50% are older than 65\] * Endorsement of Suicidal Ideation \[Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-5 (SCID-5) Suicide Item (Item 9) with a score of 2 * Major Depressive Disorder as determined by the SCID-5 * Depression Rating Scale \[Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)\] score of 16 or greater. * Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) equal or greater than a score of 23 * Off antidepressants or on a stable dose of an antidepressant for 8 weeks and do not intend to change the…
Interventions
- Behavioral"Engage & Connect" Psychotherapy
9-weeks of weekly psychotherapy sessions focused on social reward exposure
- BehavioralSymptom Review and Psychoeducation (SRP)
9-weeks of weekly psychotherapy sessions focused on symptom review and psychoeducation about depression and aging
Location
- Weill Cornell MedicineNew York, New York