Social Connectedness Study

Our research team at UC San Diego is conducting a study to learn about the therapeutic potential of a medication to improve social connectedness and well-being in people experiencing anxiety or depression.

We're looking for people ages 18-50 who are experiencing feelings of anxiety or depression. If you are interested in participating in our study, please fill out this pre-screen survey to determine your initial eligibility.

Why are we doing this study?

What are the steps involved if I am interested in participating in this study? 

• (1) Initial Pre-Screening (approximately 5 minutes) – You will complete an online survey asking questions about medication use, experiences with anxiety, and depression screening. You can fill out the pre-screen survey here! 
• (2) Phone Screen (up to 30 minutes) – You will complete a brief phone screening regarding anxiety, mood, medication use, and mental health symptoms to determine initial eligibility.
• (3) Clinical Interview & Medical Examination (approximately 3–4 hours total) – If you appear eligible after the phone screen, you will be scheduled for:
  • A full clinical interview, Medical history review and examination, Blood draw, ECG, Vital signs, & Urine test
• (4) Baseline Visit (approximately 4 hours) – Eligible participants will complete:
  • Questionnaires, a Brain imaging (fMRI), & Behavioral tasks
• (5) Study Medication Phase (6 weeks) – At the end of the baseline visit, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two doses of the study medication or placebo (an inactive substance), which will be taken twice daily for six weeks. During this phase, participants will meet weekly with a study physician for check-ins.
• (6) Post-Assessment Session (approximately 4 hours) – At the end of treatment, participants will complete the same assessments completed during the initial session, including questionnaires, fMRI, & behavioral tasks.
• (7) Follow-Up Appointment (approximately 30 minutes) – Participants will then complete a final follow-up appointment with the study physician and will be debriefed and referred for additional care as appropriate.
• Total participation lasts approximately 9 weeks and 15 total hours.

Meet the Team 

You will be supported by our dedicated team of clinician-scientists, psychiatrists, research coordinators, and clinical psychology doctoral students who are committed to improving mental health care. We work together to ensure your participation is meaningful, valued, and contributes to advancing mental health research. 

Principal Investigator: Charlie Taylor, PhD 

• Dr. Taylor is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego and Director of the Positive Emotion & Anxiety Research Laboratory (PEARL). His research over the past 20 years centers on finding more effective interventions for improving positive emotions and social connection in people experiencing anxiety or depression. His work is motivated by a desire to advance interventions that move beyond symptom reduction to foster social connection, resilience, and well-being. 

Co-Investigator: Murray Stein, MD, MPH, FRCPC

• Dr. Stein is Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He collaborates with Dr. Taylor on numerous psychosocial and pharmacological intervention studies. Dr. Stein’s research interests include the epidemiology, neurobiology, and treatment of anxiety and trauma-and-stressor-related disorders, especially social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Study Coordinators

• Nuzhat Beg, MBBS, MAS, CCRP
  • Nuzhat Beg is a clinical research professional with more than 10 years of experience managing multisite clinical trials. A graduate of Rawalpindi Medical College (1995), she has worked with UCSD and other leading institutions on studies spanning post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, social anxiety disorder, asthma, reproductive health, and traumatic brain injury. At PEARL, Nuzhat serves as a Senior Clinical Research Coordinator, supporting the team with safety reporting, regulatory submissions, project management, and initial screening visits.
• Marissa Larkin, B.S.
  • Marissa Larkin graduated from the University of Utah in 2023, where she studied Psychology with a minor in Applied Positive Psychology. At PEARL, she is a study coordinator helping run participant visits. Specifically, she coordinates study procedures, manages participant visits, and serves as an operator running fMRI scans.
• Juliana Himawan, B.S.
  • Juliana Himawan graduated from UC San Diego in December of 2024, where she studied Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. At PEARL, she is a study coordinator helping run participant visits. Specifically, she serves as a diagnostic clinician, completing initial screening visits, and as an operator running fMRI scans. 

Doctoral Students

• Isabella Spaulding

  • Isabella Spaulding is a 5th-year PhD student at PEARL. Her research focuses on understanding the social and biological mechanisms that contribute to depression, anxiety, and trauma disorders, and how these insights might inform the development of new treatments. Isabella has worked as a student therapist for the past 3 years in community, outpatient, and inpatient settings, with a particular focus on working with individuals who have experienced trauma. For the current study, Isabella serves as a diagnostic clinician and completes initial intake screening visits with participants. 

Study Physicians

• Dr. Jonathon Howlett
  • Dr. Howlett is an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). His research interests include clinical pharmacology, drug trials, and depression and mood disorders. He serves as one of two study physicians at PEARL, where he meets with participants throughout the study to discuss study medication, adjust dosages when appropriate, and monitor symptoms and treatment response. Participants meet with Dr. Howlett regularly as part of their ongoing care and medication management during the study.
• Dr I-Wei Shu
  • Dr. Shu is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). His expertise includes clinical trial design and stress- and trauma-related disorders. He serves as one of two study physicians at PEARL, where he meets with participants throughout the study to discuss study medication, adjust dosages when appropriate, and monitor symptoms and treatment response. Participants meet with Dr. Shu regularly as part of their ongoing care and medication management during the study.

FAQs

• What are some of the benefits of participating in the study?
  • You may experience a decrease in symptoms of anxiety or depression, or improvement in social functioning; however, this is not guaranteed to happen.
  • All participants will be given information about community clinics offering mental health services, including those on a sliding fee scale.
  • Results from your medical examination and lab panel will be shared with you, and at your request, with your primary care provider.
  • You will receive a picture of your brain. [Please note that the MRI data collected for this study is not valid for clinical or diagnostic purposes, so we are unable to share MRI data with participants.]
• What happens if I'm not eligible to participate in the study?
  • If you are not eligible to participate, we will provide you with a list of community mental health resources, including those on a sliding fee scale.
• How long will the study take?
  • The study lasts 9 weeks and involves approximately 15 total hours of participation.
• Can I be involved in another kind of mental health treatment during the study?
  • It depends on the type of mental health treatment. We will ask you questions about current medications or other therapies for your mental health during the initial screening process.
• Who will I meet with when I'm in the study?
  • Take a look at the “Meet the Team” section on this page! These are the individuals you will be spending most of your time with.
• What if I experience side effects of the study medication?
  • Each week, you will meet with a study physician to monitor any side effects and adjust your dose as needed. 
• What is the fMRI task like?
  • Participants are in the MRI scanner from the waist up for approximately one hour. The scanner uses a head coil, which is like a football helmet that goes around the head and face, to get a clearer picture of the brain. There is no radiation involved in the scan. During the scan, participants look at a screen to complete computerized tasks, although there may be periods of waiting quietly between tasks.
• Can study visits be completed remotely?
  • Some check-ins with the study physician may be completed remotely using Zoom, a secure HIPAA-compliant cloud-based communications application. Remaining study sessions will be completed in person.