IDEMS: Effectiveness of an online self-help program for the treatment of depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis.

Study Description:
In recent years, online-based methods have become a viable option for the treatment of depression. This treatment could offer new chances to MS patients, who suffer from depressive symptoms more frequently than other chronically ill patients: On the one hand, there is not sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments of depression in MS thus far. On the other hand, motor impairments, fatigue or cognitive disorders often make it difficult for these patients to use traditional psychotherapy.

In an international study by the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in cooperation with the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and MS centers in the United States, the effectiveness of an internet-based treatment for MS patients suffering from depressive symptoms is being investigated. The online self-help program "deprexis" was specially adapted to the needs of this patient group for this reason.

Patients between the ages of 18 and 65 who have been diagnosed with any form of MS and suffer from depressive moods participated in this study.

Contacts:
David Schymainski in Berlin (idems-studie(at)charite.de) and Gesa Pust in Hamburg (idems-studie(at)uke.de)

Principle Investigators:
Prof. Dr. Friedemann Paul (AG Clinical Neuroimmunology, NCRC),
Prof. Dr. Stefan Gold (Charite Clinic for Psychiatrie, CBF),
Prof. Dr. Christoph Heesen (University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf)