Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Healthcare professionals often face severe stress, which can lead to sick leave and affect their well-being. This research aims to evaluate whether a five-week internet-based compassion course can help reduce stress of conscience and work-related stress, while improving professional quality of life and self-compassion. The study compares this compassion course with a general internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) stress management course and a waitlist group. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a therapist-guided internet compassion course, a therapist-guided general internet CBT stress management course, or a waitlist for 10 weeks followed by the general CBT course. Both courses are structured self-help programs lasting five weeks, including weekly reports and therapist feedback delivered online. The compassion course focuses on compassion-focused therapy methods, while the CBT course uses traditional CBT techniques. Throughout the study, participants will complete assessments at baseline, 5, 10, and 15 weeks, and again at 6 months. These assessments measure changes in stress of conscience, professional quality of life, work-related stress, and self-compassion. Data are collected through self-assessment forms, and the study tracks progress over time to understand the effects of the courses. The total participation time spans up to 6 months to monitor longer-term outcomes and maintenance of benefits.

Researchers are studying the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week adaptation of the ECCCLORE program for patients facing both addiction and trauma-related problems, including complex posttraumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). This condition involves ongoing difficulties with emotion regulation, identity, and relationships after prolonged trauma exposure and is often linked to more severe addiction and behaviors like impulsivity and hostility. The study aims to address these intertwined issues to improve patient quality of life. The intervention being tested is the ECCCLORE program, a cognitive behavioral therapy originally developed for borderline personality disorder, now shortened to 12 weeks for this study. It involves weekly 2-hour group sessions with up to 10 participants, combined with 30-minute individual sessions after each group meeting. Sessions include discussions of the previous week, explanations of key concepts, and practices, plus support for home practice implementation. The program incorporates elements from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and focuses on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills. Participants will be assessed at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks for trauma, addiction, impulsivity, hostile attribution bias, aggressivity, flexibility, and depression through patient-reported measures. Primary outcomes focus on program feasibility, dropout rates, and acceptability of home practice by week 12. The study excludes certain psychiatric conditions and requires participants to be able to read and write French, with informed consent and health insurance coverage. Participation involves regular therapy sessions and follow-up assessments over the study period.

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) affects many adult cancer survivors and their family caregivers, often leading to distress and lower quality of life. Parents of childhood cancer survivors face similar concerns, but existing brief interventions for FCR have not been tested with this group. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a newly adapted therapy called Parent-FORT designed specifically for these parents, and to understand its impact on their fear and quality of life. The study will enroll 36 parents of childhood cancer survivors who will be randomly assigned to either receive the Parent-FORT intervention immediately or join a three-month waitlist control group. Parent-FORT includes seven weekly 120-minute group therapy sessions delivered via videoconference, with activities, group discussions, and homework assignments led by trained therapists. Participants will also attend a one-on-one pre-therapy meeting before starting the group sessions. Those in the waitlist group will be offered the intervention after the waiting period. Participants will complete questionnaires before and after the intervention and again three months later to measure changes in fear of cancer recurrence and quality of life. Additional assessments include post-session measures of group cohesion and alliance. Therapists will be trained and supervised to ensure treatment fidelity. The study also includes interviews to gather feedback on the intervention experience. The total participation period includes the intervention and follow-up assessments, lasting several months.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading cause of dementia characterized by progressive cognitive decline. This trial investigates the use of cerebellar intermittent theta-burst stimulation (CRB-iTBS) to improve cognitive function in people with mild Alzheimer's disease. Researchers aim to assess the treatment's safety and effectiveness in changing the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score over three months, offering a potential new therapy to improve quality of life for those affected. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active CRB-iTBS or a sham version. The active treatment involves daily stimulation sessions for four weeks, followed by once-weekly sessions for eight weeks, targeting the bilateral cerebellar dentate nuclei. This noninvasive brain stimulation is delivered using a device with specific parameters including 50Hz frequency and 100% resting motor threshold intensity. The study is double-blind, meaning neither participants nor researchers know which treatment is given, ensuring unbiased results. During the study, participants will undergo assessments including cognitive tests like the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), activities of daily living, neuropsychiatric inventory, and brain MRI scans at various points up to 36 weeks. Researchers will monitor changes in cognition and brain function while tracking safety and treatment adherence. The entire participation spans over several months with evaluations at baseline, 12, 24, and 36 weeks to understand short- and longer-term effects.

Researchers are evaluating the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, to improve motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease. This study focuses on targeting the supplementary motor area (SMA), a brain region linked to motor function, using precise neuroimaging navigation. The goal is to assess the clinical effects of this targeted rTMS intervention in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham stimulation. The treatment involves continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) applied to the left SMA for 7 consecutive days. Each day includes six cTBS sessions, separated by 15-minute intervals, with each session lasting 40 seconds and delivering a total of 600 pulses at 80% of the resting motor threshold. The intervention is given alongside participants' usual drug treatments. During the study, participants will be evaluated using the Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III to measure motor symptom changes at baseline, day 8, week 5, and week 9. Additional assessments include the Hoehn-Yahr staging and the timed up and go test at the same time points. Safety and symptom monitoring will continue throughout the study, which is expected to last until March 2025.

This research aims to evaluate a behavioral intervention called Behavioral Exposure for Interoceptive Tolerance (BE-FIT) designed to reduce exercise anxiety and improve exercise adherence in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation who are 40 years of age or older. The trial is a Stage II randomized-controlled study involving 146 patients with elevated exercise anxiety, aiming to understand if BE-FIT can help patients overcome anxiety to increase their physical activity during rehabilitation. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the BE-FIT intervention group or a Health Education Control (HEC) group. The BE-FIT program includes six one-on-one sessions over three weeks, focusing on exposure to feared bodily sensations, avoiding safety behaviors around exercise, and using a wrist-worn Fitbit to track and set physical activity goals. The HEC group receives matched contact time with educational sessions on healthy aging topics and also uses the Fitbit but without physical activity goals. Participants will attend six 45-minute individual sessions during the initial weeks of outpatient cardiac rehabilitation, scheduled before or after regular rehabilitation sessions. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, end of treatment, and at three follow-ups over 24 weeks. Researchers will collect data on exercise minutes, attendance at rehabilitation, and steps per day, monitoring progress and safety throughout the approximately six-month duration of the study.

Researchers are investigating the effects of using GLP-1 analogues compared to not using appetite suppressants as part of a lifestyle treatment program for adults with both obesity and binge eating disorder (BED). This prospective observational study aims to evaluate changes in BED symptoms over 12 months and to explore whether participants adopt other harmful coping strategies. The study also examines psychological well-being, weight changes, and their impact on obesity-related health conditions. Participants will be divided into two groups: one group will receive standard lifestyle treatment including cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced (CBT-E) group sessions and individual consultations every four months along with GLP-1 analogue medication prescribed by their physician. The other group will receive the same lifestyle treatment without any appetite-suppressing drugs. The GLP-1 analogues used may include liraglutide, semaglutide, or tirzepatide, with dosage and duration following routine clinical practice for at least 12 months. During the study, participants will attend 10 weekly CBT-E group therapy sessions and clinical consultations every four months. Evaluations will include patient questionnaires on BED symptoms and coping strategies, as well as measurements of weight and biochemical data at the start and after 12 months. Researchers will monitor changes in BED symptoms using the EDE-Q Global Score and track shifts in harmful coping mechanisms. The total study duration for participants is 12 months, with ongoing follow-up and data collection throughout this period.

Researchers are investigating the biology and natural history of brain aging, focusing on cognitive aging and diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's, in adults aged 55 to 80. This population-based study aims to understand brain aging through a holistic view of environmental exposures, including nutrition, using advanced biological data methods. The study is conducted in Bordeaux and involves a representative sample of 2000 participants, emphasizing prevention and early detection of cognitive disorders. Participants will complete general health and nutrition questionnaires, undergo a computerized cognitive assessment, and provide various biological samples such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, hair, nails, and nasal swabs to create a biobank. MRI scans will be offered to volunteers aged 55 to 70. Those showing signs of cognitive or Parkinson's disorders may have additional neurological evaluations. A follow-up phase begins about three years after the initial visit, including repeated questionnaires, cognitive tests, and sample collections. Throughout the study, participants will undergo assessments of cognitive performance, nutrition, lifestyle, and immune function. Biological samples will be analyzed for metabolites and genetic data. Physical measurements and health screenings are performed during home visits. Researchers will track the availability of biobank samples and completed surveys as primary outcomes. The study includes multiple visits over several years to monitor brain health, cognitive changes, and related factors in older adults.

Researchers are evaluating a new blended trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (B-TF-CBT) for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), comparing it to the established face-to-face prolonged exposure (PE) therapy. The study aims to determine if B-TF-CBT, which combines internet-based modules with face-to-face sessions, is not less effective than PE in reducing PTSD symptoms immediately after treatment and at 6 and 12 months follow-up. This trial is conducted in outpatient clinics within the Stockholm region. Participants receive either the blended B-TF-CBT, which includes digital support and six biweekly face-to-face therapy sessions over 9-15 weeks, or the standard PE treatment delivered face-to-face by trained therapists over the same duration. Both treatments follow structured protocols, and therapists' adherence and competence are monitored through checklists and session recordings. The study collects extensive data on symptoms, treatment engagement, and any adverse events. Throughout the trial, participants will complete questionnaires assessing PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, insomnia, social and work functioning, and quality of life before, during, immediately after treatment, and at 6 and 12 months post-treatment. The main measure is the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5). Researchers will analyze data for symptom changes and treatment satisfaction, using statistical models to compare the two therapies. Safety, adherence, and possible concurrent treatments are also tracked for up to a year after treatment.

Researchers are evaluating two interventions to manage cognitive symptoms resulting from long COVID. This experimental study will compare a Categorization Program (CP) training combined with either active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) or sham tDCS. The study aims to better understand how these treatments affect cognition in individuals experiencing post-COVID cognitive difficulties. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group receiving active tDCS combined with the CP cognitive training, and the control group receiving sham tDCS with CP training. Both interventions involve 15 one-hour sessions over three weeks, with two tDCS sessions plus cognitive training delivered during each session in the experimental group, and cognitive training with sham tDCS in the control group. The study uses updated neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments to evaluate changes before and after treatment. During the study, participants will undergo diagnostic protocols including neuroimaging and neuropsychological tests. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be used before and after the intervention to assess brain function. Outcome measures include tests from the Categorization Program, probe tasks at various points during treatment, and quality of life and dysexecutive questionnaires. The total intervention lasts six weeks, with assessments conducted pre- and post-training to monitor cognitive and quality of life changes.