Psychophysiological responses to group cognitive-behavioral therapy in depressive patients

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has a significant adjunctive effect in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), however its use as monotherapy in group-based approaches is less explored. We assessed the responses of distinct psychophysiological domains after a group-based CBT (gCBT, 16 weeks) intervention in drug-free patients with mild-moderate MDD (n = 20; women = 11) and compared them with a healthy control group (n = 25, women = 13). The treatment resulted in 65% of response and 55% of remission rates. Significant reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms and increase in self-esteem and sleep quality were observed as gCBT responses. Moreover, after treatment, patients regulated their previously deregulated salivary cortisol awakening response and sleep quality toward healthy parameters. These improvements were correlated among themselves and dependent of remission outcome. Remitted patients showed larger improvements than non-remitted for all psychophysiological domains, except for serum cortisol that significantly changed only for no-remitted patients after gCBT but did not reached controls levels. Further, better baseline sleep quality was predictor of remission. The psychophysiological changes found support the use of gCBT as monotherapy treatment for mild-moderate MDD, corroborate the importance of the observation of the patients in theirs whole sociopsychophysiological condition since they are related to remission outcome and then stimulate further studies of validation of clinical protocols that work on all of these psychophysiological domains studied. Trial Registration U1111–1215-4472. Registered 21 August 2018, http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-3npbf8/

Changes in inflammatory biomarkers are related to the antidepressant effects of Ayahuasca

Background: Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazon brew and its potential antidepressant properties have recently been explored in scientific settings. We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of ayahuasca with treatment-resistant depression patients (n = 28) and healthy controls (n = 45). Aims: We are evaluating the blood inflammatory biomarkers: C-reactive protein and interleukin 6, as a potential consequence of ayahuasca intake and their correlation with serum cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Blood samples were collected at pre-treatment and 48 hours after substance ingestion to assess the concentration of inflammatory biomarkers, together with administration of the Montgomery-Ãsberg Depression Rating Scale. Results: At pre-treatment, patients showed higher C-reactive protein levels than healthy controls and a significant negative correlation between C-reactive protein and serum cortisol levels was revealed (rho = –0.40, n = 14). C-reactive protein in those patients was not correlated with Montgomery-Ãsberg Depression Rating Scale scores. We observed a significant reduction of C-reactive protein levels across time in both patients and controls treated with ayahuasca, but not with placebo. Patients treated with ayahuasca showed a significant correlation (rho = + 0.57) between larger reductions of C-reactive protein and lower depressive symptoms at 48 hours after substance ingestion (Montgomery-Ãsberg Depression Rating Scale). No significant result with respect to interleukin 6 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor was found. Furthermore, these biomarkers did not predict the antidepressant response or remission rates observed. Conclusions: These findings enhance the understanding of the biological mechanisms behind the observed antidepressant effects of ayahuasca and encourage further clinical trials in adults with depression