Placebo responding and µ-opioid brain functioning predict efficiency of antidepressants

259502894_f3e435ebd8_o

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

14197186483_e0574b9614_k

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?

6999667955_ec45d235b7_k

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

Veteran

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

5947344481_950bf7ec16_b

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...]

Occupational therapy for stroke survivors in UK care homes: findings of an RCT study

shutterstock_103352342

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

Depressed older man

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

Woodwork

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

shutterstock_215628922

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...]