Incomplete Response in Late-Life Depression: Getting to Remission With Buprenorphine

The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of buprenorphine (BPN) as a novel treatment for late-life treatment resistant depression (LL-TRD). The investigators aim to use a clinical trial methodology common to all three sites, and to examine the mechanism of action (MOA) of BPN using translational neuroscience methods. Over ½ of seniors with depression fail to respond to traditional antidepressants.19,20 Modulation of the opiate system with BPN offers a novel mechanistic approach to improve the lives of patients with LL-TRD, with a safety profile potentially superior to current augmentation strategies such as antipsychotics, lithium, ECT, and surgical interventions (e.g., deep brain or vagal nerve stimulation).