Presynaptic Imaging in Major Depressive Episodes After COVID-19 (PCOV)

Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

Status

Enrolling

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Episode

Long COVID

Treatments

Other: [18F]SDM8 PET scan

Other: MRI scan

Other: [11C]DTBZ PET scan

Study type

Observational

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT06086366

REB#201/2022

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this observational study focuses on understanding and addressing a subset of persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms occurring within 3 months after mild to moderate COVID-19 infection (COVID-DNP). COVID-DNP encompasses major depressive episodes (MDE) with or without additional neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Full description

Participants will undergo two positron emission tomography (PET) scans, one [11C]DTBZ scan (for vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and one [18F]SDM8 scan (for synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A)), as well as one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

The investigators will determine if VMAT2 binding potential (VMAT2 BPND) is reduced in ventral striatum and dorsal putamen in COVID-DNP.
The investigators will determine if SV2A total distribution volume (SV2A VT) is reduced in ventral striatum and dorsal putamen in COVID-DNP

Enrollment

90 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 75 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

New onset MDE within 3 months after mild or moderate COVID-19, with MDE verified by the research version SCID for DSM 5. See "Positive COVID-19 diagnosis" listed after inclusion/exclusion criteria for a description of how this is determined.
Age 18 to 75.
Good general physical health with no active medical conditions based on self-report (except migraine or PASC).

Exclusion criteria

Use of antidepressants in the previous month (6 weeks for fluoxetine).
Use of stimulant medication affecting dopamine release in the previous month
Use of antipsychotics in the previous month
History of neurological disease (except migraine, and PASC) based on self-report
Use of medications or herbal products or natural health products with central nervous system effects in past 2 weeks based on self-report
Presence of cigarette smoking in the past two months, based on self-report
Lifetime diagnosis of severe Substance or Alcohol Use Disorder, or diagnosis of mild to moderate Substance or Alcohol Use Disorder in the past two years, based on self-report and verified by the Research Version of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (SCID-5-RV)
Use of recreational drugs, including marijuana, in the past two months, based on self-report and verified by the Research Version of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (SCID-5-RV)
Positive urine drug or cotinine screen at any timepoint during the study
History of psychotic symptoms secondary to schizophrenia, schizophreniform, bipolar disorder, or brief psychotic disorder prior to COVID-19, based on self-report and verified by the Research Version of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (SCID-5-RV)
Currently pregnant, based on self-report or positive pregnancy test at any timepoint during the study, in females (in our PET Centre females up to 65 years of age are given a urine pregnancy test prior to every PET scan)
Breastfeeding (for females)
Current disorders of coagulation, blood or ongoing use of anticoagulant medication, based on self-report
Claustrophobia, based on self-report
Weight over 400lbs and height over 7ft (requirements for fitting in the scanners and hospital gowns)
Presence of metal implant, object or electrical devices that are contraindicated for MRI, based on self-report
Severe allergic reaction to alcohol