Antidepressant Response in Older Adults With Comorbid PTSD and MDD
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2026-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In the Investigator's ongoing studies of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in older
adults, it has been found that older adults with PTSD frequently meet the criteria for
comorbid Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Moreover, relative to trauma-exposed healthy
controls (TEHCs), elders with PTSD manifest executive function deficits, fatigability, and
mobility and physical function deficits that are consistent with what the investigator has
observed in depressed older adults. Yet, the investigator has found that very few older
adults with combined PTSD/MDD have received appropriate antidepressant treatment for their
condition. These findings give rise to the questions of (1) how effective is antidepressant
treatment for depressive symptoms in the context of PTSD/MDD and (2) are cognitive and
physical function deficits in PTSD/MDD patients reversible with effective antidepressant
treatment?