Could new psychological treatment be a viable alternative to anti-depressants?

The researchers are working with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) – an emerging psychological treatment, which focuses on targeting negative thinking and behaviour. MBCT aims to help people who are vulnerable to recurring depression stop depressed moods from spiralling out of control into a full episode of depression and respond more resiliently at times of challenge.

The University of Exeter is inviting local GPs to refer people who are suffering from repeat bouts of depression to the trial. If people with a history of recurrent depression are interested in taking part they can contact the trial team directly.

The team works with people in eight weekly two-hour classes for up to 15 people. They aim to recruit 420 people with a history of depression for this study, half of whom will be offered MBCT and the other half will be asked to continue with their current antidepressant treatment for the duration of the study (two years). Participants taking part in the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy will be invited to come off their anti-depressant drugs while practicing MBCT.

In a smaller-scale study conducted by the team in 2005-2007, MBCT proved as effective as maintenance anti-depressants in preventing a relapse and more effective in enhancing peoples’ quality of life. It also suggested that MBCT may be as cost-effective as antidepressants. This new funding will allow the team to take their research to the next level, to work out if MBCT could be a viable option for the large proportion of people suffering from depression who rely on mediation to stay well.

Professor Willem Kuyken of the University of Exeter's Mood Disorders Centre (based in the School of Psychology) is leading the five-year study. He said: “Anti-depressants are widely used by people who suffer from depression and that’s because there is evidence that they work. But, while they’re very effective in keeping people well, when people come off them they are vulnerable to relapse. MBCT takes a different approach – it teaches people skills for life.”

“The results of our research so far are very promising. This study will help us determine if it could be a viable alternative to prescription drugs for a large number of people.”

MBCT was developed by a team of psychologists from Toronto (Zindel Segal), Oxford (Mark Williams) and Cambridge (John Teasdale) in 2002 to help people who suffer repeated bouts of depression.

The PREVENT team is led by Professor Willem Kuyken from the University of Exeter in collaboration with Professor Glyn Lewis at the University of Bristol, Dr Sarah Byford at Institute of Psychiatry King’s College London, Dr Tim Dalgleish at the Medical Research Council and Drs Richard Byng and Rod Taylor at the Peninsula Medical School.

Anyone who is interested in taking part in the study should contact the PREVENT Trial team at: 01392 726101.