Biomarkers of Antidepressant Response and Suicidal Events in Depressed Youth

Biomarkers of Antidepressant Response and Suicidal Events in Depressed Youth

The aims of this study are to (1) identify inflammatory/neurotrophic and neurodevelopmental markers that predict antidepressant response and suicidal risk in depressed youth and (2) predict their treatment response and the occurrence of suicidal events at the individual level using machine learning approach.

Inclusion Criteria:

• clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder(MDD) according to criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)
• current episode at least 4 weeks in duration at baseline
• with a score of at least 40 on the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R), and CGI-Severity ≥4 at baseline

Exclusion Criteria:

• intelligence quotient (IQ) lower than 70
• psychotic features or first-degree relatives with a history of bipolar I disorder
• alcohol or substance abuse within the past 6 months
• history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, or autism
• history of neurological diseases including convulsive disorders or brain damage
• concurrent medications with psychotropic effects (other than stimulants for ADHD)
• chronic medical conditions (e.g., asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes) and/or chronic medication with psychotropic effects (e.g., anticonvulsants) or chronic use of NSAIDS or other drugs with known impact on inflammatory pathways.