Depression is a serious medical illness, for which various types of treatment have been developed. Both medications and therapies have proven effective in treating depression. However, some people with depression do not benefit from these treatments. New medications are needed for treating depression in those who have not responded to commonly used antidepressants. Pramipexole (Mirapex) is most often used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, but has been reported to have antidepressant effects as well. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of pramipexole in treating depression in individuals that have not responded to other medications.~Participants in this double blind study will be randomly assigned to receive either pramipexole or placebo, in addition to their current medications, for 8 weeks. Treatment response will be assessed at the end of this phase by measuring symptoms of depression. At this time, those individuals who have responded to treatment will have the option to continue in a 6-month follow-up study. Participants will be seen monthly throughout the 6 months to assess treatment response. Participants who do not exhibit a response to treatment will be tapered off the medication. All participants will receive 3 months of follow-up care, regardless of their response to the medication.
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of pramipexole (Mirapex) in managing treatment-resistant depression.