Studies Recruiting Patients

The UTHealth Houston Center for Interventional Psychiatry conducts clinical research focused on depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, and suicidality. The studies listed below are actively recruiting participants under Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Participation is voluntary and may offer access to comprehensive evaluations and innovative treatments while contributing to scientific progress.

 

🔬 Recruiting Clinical Studies — Mood Disorders & Suicidality

KOASTAL-2: Neumora Research Study for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Focus: Investigational agent for MDD
Eligibility: Adults aged 18–65 with MDD
What to Expect: Screening and treatment phase with investigational medication or placebo
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030
Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

UTHealth Houston Treatment-Resistant Psychiatric Disorders Cohort

Focus: Observational study examining clinical and biological markers of treatment resistance in depression and bipolar disorder
Eligibility: Adults (18+) with treatment-resistant mood disorders
What to Expect: Symptom assessments, biological sampling, and cognitive evaluations
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030
Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

VNS RECOVER Study — Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Depression

Focus: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) compared with standard care in chronic or recurrent depression
Eligibility: Adults with persistent depressive symptoms after ≥4 antidepressant trials
What to Expect: VNS implantation, structured follow-ups, and outcome assessments
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03887715
Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) in Bipolar Depression & Treatment-Resistant Depression

Focus: Investigational study evaluating Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) for bipolar depression and treatment-resistant depression
Eligibility: Adults with bipolar disorder or treatment-resistant depressive illness who meet study criteria
What to Expect: MST is administered under anesthesia in a controlled research setting with structured monitoring.
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030
Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

Psilocybin for Bipolar II Depression

Focus: Investigational study evaluating psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for Bipolar II Depression
Eligibility: Adults diagnosed with Bipolar II Depression who meet eligibility criteria
What to Expect: Structured preparation, supervised psilocybin sessions, and integration therapy
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030

Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

Rapid Reversal of Suicidal Depression — ECT vs Ketamine

Focus: Comparative effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) versus intravenous ketamine for rapid reduction of suicidal depression
Eligibility: Adults experiencing acute suicidal ideation or severe depressive symptoms who meet study criteria
What to Expect: Randomized assignment to ECT or ketamine with intensive safety monitoring and outcome assessments
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030
Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

Adjunctive Allogeneic Stem Cell Study for Bipolar Depression

Focus: Single-infusion allogeneic stem cell therapy as an adjunctive treatment for bipolar depression
Eligibility: Adults aged 18–65 with bipolar depression
What to Expect: Infusion, imaging, and longitudinal clinical follow-up
Location: Interventional Psychiatry Clinic, 7000 Fannin St., Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030
Contact:
📞 (713) 486-2567
📧 [email protected]

How to Get Started

Patients or referring clinicians interested in research participation may:

  1. Contact the study coordinator listed above
  2. Provide relevant psychiatric history and current medications
  3. Discuss eligibility criteria and expectations
  4. Complete a screening visit to determine suitability

Participation in research is voluntary and may be coordinated alongside ongoing clinical care when appropriate.