NCT00595699

Who might be able to join this trial:

• You have been diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy.
• You have been diagnosed with Major Depression (based on standard medical criteria called DSM-IV).
• Your depression score on a standard rating scale (called the MADRS) is 15 or higher at both your screening and baseline appointments.
• You are between 18 and 65 years old.
• If you are a woman who could become pregnant, you are willing and able to use an effective form of contraception (such as a condom with diaphragm, or a diaphragm with spermicide, or another method with a very low failure rate).
• You are willing to sign a consent form agreeing to take part in the study voluntarily.

Who may not be able to join:

• You have a diagnosed mental health condition other than Major Depression (confirm with trial site).
• Your seizures have been identified as psychological rather than caused by epilepsy (known as non-epileptic seizures).
• You have previously tried two or more antidepressant medications at full doses without them working.
• You have had problems with alcohol or drug misuse or dependence in the past six months.
• You have a serious medical condition affecting your heart, liver, or kidneys, or you are significantly malnourished.
• You are currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
• You have or are suspected to have an intellectual disability, a psychotic disorder, or dementia.
• You take a seizure medication called phenobarbital.
• You need to take certain medications that affect mood or anxiety, such as benzodiazepines (confirm with trial site for the full list).
• You are currently receiving a type of talking therapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), or you plan to start it during the study. Other types of therapy may be allowed if you have already been attending regularly for at least 12 weeks and plan to continue throughout the study.
• The study doctor believes you would have difficulty understanding or following the study requirements.
• You have a known allergy or sensitivity to the medication escitalopram or any of its ingredients.
• The study doctor believes you are at significant risk of suicide, or you have made a serious suicide attempt in the past two years.

Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.