Dan-Mikael Ellingsen explores the neurochemistry of placebo effects in major depression, as he reviews a recent study of the association between placebo-activated neural systems and antidepressant responses.
[read the full story...]The PACE Trial for chronic fatigue syndrome: choppy seas but a prosperous voyage
Simon Wessely responds to the huge amount of recent criticism that has surrounded the publication of a follow-up paper of the PACE trial into chronic fatigue syndrome. This extended blog presents the PACE trial and its main results, but also reminds us what makes a good RCT, as well as exploring how well PACE measures up.
[read the full story...]Early intervention in psychosis: how long is long enough?
Rachel Brand looks at a recent RCT which investigates the optimal duration of an early intervention in psychosis programme for young people in Hong Kong.
[read the full story...]Telemedicine psychotherapy for older veterans with depression
Lisa Burscheidt appraises an RCT of telemedicine psychotherapy for depression in older veterans, which establishes non-inferiority of telemedicine delivery versus same-room delivery of behavioural activation.
[read the full story...]Mental health research: let us reason together #RCTdebate
Amy Price and Douglas Badenoch respond to the McPin Foundation talking point paper written by Alison Faulkner entitled ‘Randomised controlled trials: The straitjacket of mental health research?’
[read the full story...]Researcher allegiance: the Achilles’ heel of psychotherapy trials
Ioana Cristea considers the impact that researcher allegiance can have on the conducting and reporting of psychotherapy research.
[read the full story...]Occupational therapy for stroke survivors in UK care homes: findings of an RCT study
Jill Manthorpe discusses a ‘gold standard’ RCT study on occupational therapy for stroke survivors in UK care homes and the implications of the findings.
[read the full story...]Combined methylphenidate and citalopram may help older people with depression recover faster
Lisa Burscheidt summarises a recent randomised controlled trial of combined methylphenidate and citalopram for depression in older people, which presents promising but limited findings.
[read the full story...]Individual placement and support for mental health vocational rehabilitation
John Baker considers the findings of a recent RCT, which studies a time limited form of individual placement and support to help people with mental health problems back into work.
[read the full story...]CBT for anxiety in dementia
Raluca Lucacel summarises a recent pilot randomised controlled trial of CBT for anxiety in dementia, which aims to find out if a cognitive behavioural therapy manual can be used to treat anxiety in people with dementia.
[read the full story...]