Epigenetics of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Somatoform Disorders in the Course of Psychotherapy (TREPS)

Hannover Medical School (MHH)

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Psychiatric Disorder; PTSD; Somatoform Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: psychotherapy

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01391897

MHH-EK-5689

Details and patient eligibility

About

This reported observational clinical study aims at identifying epigenetic markers in a sample of patients undergoing high dose inpatient psychotherapy suffering from a variety of psychiatric/psychosomatic diseases such as somatoform disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders.

The exact epigenetic markers that will be traced are yet to define.

The investigators believe that

1. Epigenetic patterns found in the group of psychiatric patients show differences from healthy controls
2. Different diagnosis show differences in epigenetic patterns as well
3. Epigenetic patterns correlate to the severity of the psychosocial disorder as measured in interviews or psychometric ratings
4. Epigenetic patterns can change under inpatient high dose psychotherapy
5. Changes correlate to clinical psychometric variables.

Enrollment: 300 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• informed consent given by the patient
• adulthood to 65 years
• stabel physical health
• at least fluent in German language (as it is a group-therapy)

Exclusion criteria

• psychiatric disorder such as substance addiction, psychosis, schizophrenia.
• insufficient understanding of the terms and conditions of the study
• insufficient emotional stability to fill out the psychometric forms required for the study.

Trial design

300 participants in 1 patient group

in- and out-patient psychotherapy patients

Description:

All included patients are highly selected in- and outpatients in a department of psychosomatic medicine (Germany) undergoing high dose psychotherapy (e.g. group therapy, creative therapy, cbt and psychodynamic psychotherapy).

Treatment:

Behavioral: psychotherapy