Ethicists often question whether it is acceptable to give people a placebo (pill that contains no medication) in a clinical trial. The other option is to have a group that gets a drug that is currently used to treat the disease and show that the new drug works just as well. This design has its [...]
tlauriat Lauriat
Dr. Tara Lauriat works in the area of Neuroscience with a focus on Psychiatric disorders including Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. She has a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and is currently working at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, MA in the Department of Psychiatry. My Cure Talks:
Common Misunderstanding about Clinical Trials Compensation, Visit Scheduling and More
Being involved with several clinical trials (such as this one for Bipolar Depression in Boston) and patients, I often come across common misconceptions related to clinical trials. So I thought it would be useful to summarize and address some of these issues. Misunderstanding about Visit windows and scheduling Clinical trial protocols sometimes have very narrow [...]
Understanding Bipolar Depression and the Brain using fMRI Techniques.
Many people experience periods of sadness and loss of interest that meet the definition of a depressive episode. Some people also have times where they feel on top of the world and have excessive energy, which is characteristic of bipolar disorder. It is sometimes difficult for both patients and clinicians to determine which diagnosis fits. [...]
Recognizing Bipolar Disorder and Depression. Clinical Trials Can be a Way to Seek Help
Our research group at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Boston and others doing similar research frequently post ads looking for people with depression or bipolar disorder – online, on the subway, in newspapers, on the radio, etc. The problem is that there are many people out there who may not realize that they are depressed. Here [...]
Clinical Studies Using MRI for Psychiatric Research at St. Elizabeth Medical Center
I remember a public service announcement when I was a child that consisted of an egg in a frying pan and said very simply: “This is your brain on drugs – any questions?” As a neuroscientist, I am interested in understanding how medications affect the brain and how that relates to change in clinical status. [...]
Clinical Trial of an Investigational Blood Test for Depression
I recently posted a blog on ‘Clinical Studies using MRI for Psychiatry Research‘. Another exciting area of work at our research site is centered around the diagnosis of depression. We are exploring the development a blood test for depression based on proteins in the blood. Currently, doctors diagnose depression by asking questions about feelings of [...]
