Paroxetine/Bupropion in Suicide Attempters/Ideators With Major Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and serious psychiatric illness. It is among the leading causes of disability and is the psychiatric disorder most often associated with suicide. The treatment of MDD with antidepressant medication remains largely trial and error. Little empirical evidence exists to guide the treatment of MDD when suicide risk is a major factor. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a type of antidepressant medication that works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance. The study compared the effectiveness of paroxetine, an SSRI, versus bupropion, a non-SSRI, on suicidal ideation and/or behavior in depressed patients with a past suicide attempt and/or current suicidal thoughts. Results of the completed primary study have been published (Grunebaum MF et al. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 Feb;37(3):697-706). In the ongoing secondary neuro-imaging component of the study, Participants are randomly assigned to either paroxetine or bupropion treatment for 8 weeks with fMRI scans involving a reward processing task at baseline and Week 8. Weekly study visits include interviews with a psychologist, self-report scales, and medication monitoring. All participants will then be offered 4 additional months of open clinical treatment. If original medication assignments prove to be ineffective, participants will have the option to switch to another medication. After completing the study, participants will be referred for ongoing treatment.