Patients
patients•, major depression, bipolar affective, schizoaffective, depressed, dysthymia, psychotic symptoms, depression, chronic depression, schizophrenic, trauma
SCID
Patients between 21 and 60 years of age of all genders suffering from chronic depression will be included in the study. Patients must be continuously depressed for more than one year and currently meet a diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia. The SCID interview will confirm a yearlong history of depression. Only patients without antidepressant (AD) medication at study onset will be included. Only patients with early trauma on at least one of the subscales of the CTQ will be included (Table Inclusion and exclusion criteria for patients• Diagnosis of major depression and/or dysthymia (based on Structural Clinical Interview-SCID) for at least 12 months• BDI-2 > 17• QIDS > 9• CTQ: at least trauma at one of the subscales• Age: 21–60 years• Sufficient knowledge of local language• Informed consent to study protocol• Need to be free of anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and antipsychotic medication for at least 3 weeks before baseline assessment and be deemed stable by their treating clinician at the study onset• Current or past psychotic symptoms in the last 3 years, schizoaffective, schizophrenic, or bipolar affective disorder• Substance dependence current or during the last three years• Dementia• Borderline, schizotypal, or antisocial personality disorder• Acute suicidality• Reduced intellectual capacity• Serious physical illness that strongly affects the depression or is causal for the depression• Concurrent psychotherapy• Technical exclusion criteria for MRI (metallic tattoos, pacemakers, or other metal parts in the body etc., according to special guidelines of the local MRI team)