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Hopkins-led study finds that chronic form of depression runs in families
September 07, 2006Findings validate search for possible genetic link
The odds are more than two to one that people whose close relatives developed chronic severe unipolar depression when they were young will have it, too, according to results of a multicenter analysis of more than 600 people and their families.
Results of the study, published in the September issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, with Johns Hopkins psychiatrist James B. Potash, M.D., as senior author, show that siblings, parents or children of people diagnosed with chronic major depression before the age of 31 have a 2.52-to-1 chance of also having the disorder. Moreover, first-degree relatives of patients diagnosed with chronic major depression before the age of 13 have a 6.17-to-1 chance of having it. "This chronic form of major depression can be uniquely disabling because of its persistence. Our finding that this aspect of the illness runs in families suggests the value of searching for contributory genes," Potash says, although he cautions that the results also could point to environmental factors, such as loss of a parent at an early age or physical and sexual abuse.
In this study, Potash and his team looked at 638 men and women diagnosed with early-onset major depression and 2,176 of their first-degree family members. The subjects were drawn from the Genetics of Recurrent Early-onset Depression (GenRED) project, a multicenter study of patients enrolled between 1999 and 2003 by Hopkins and other researchers.
Analysis showed that the 226 people interviewed in GenRED who were diagnosed before the age of 31 with chronic major depression had 352 family members who also suffered from this form of disease (37.8%), whereas the remaining 412 had a total of 148 relatives with chronic depression (20.2%). A breakdown of these results showed that 58 people diagnosed before the age of 13 with chronic major depression had 44 family members who also had the disease (48.9%). The remaining 69 people diagnosed with major depression before age 13 had 17 relatives (15.9%) with chronic illness.
"We have known for a long time that major depression runs in families, but we are still working on determining whether certain subtypes of the illness do so more strongly than others," says Potash. Our large study allows us the numbers to examine these questions in subgroups."
Potash credits lead author Francis Mondimore, M.D., of the Department of Psychiatry at Hopkins, with observing that many of the study participants reported having been depressed "as long as [they] can remember.\\\
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
In this study, Potash and his team looked at 638 men and women diagnosed with early-onset major depression and 2,176 of their first-degree family members. The subjects were drawn from the Genetics of Recurrent Early-onset Depression (GenRED) project, a multicenter study of patients enrolled between 1999 and 2003 by Hopkins and other researchers.
Analysis showed that the 226 people interviewed in GenRED who were diagnosed before the age of 31 with chronic major depression had 352 family members who also suffered from this form of disease (37.8%), whereas the remaining 412 had a total of 148 relatives with chronic depression (20.2%). A breakdown of these results showed that 58 people diagnosed before the age of 13 with chronic major depression had 44 family members who also had the disease (48.9%). The remaining 69 people diagnosed with major depression before age 13 had 17 relatives (15.9%) with chronic illness.
"We have known for a long time that major depression runs in families, but we are still working on determining whether certain subtypes of the illness do so more strongly than others," says Potash. Our large study allows us the numbers to examine these questions in subgroups."
Potash credits lead author Francis Mondimore, M.D., of the Department of Psychiatry at Hopkins, with observing that many of the study participants reported having been depressed "as long as [they] can remember.\\\
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
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Carefully monitored treatment can help two-thirds of those who suffer from depression
More than two-thirds of people who suffer from major depression can become symptom-free if they are willing to work with their doctors and try various treatments to determine which work best for them, which may involve taking different antidepressants or adding cognitive therapy to the mix.
Poor health, poverty and minority status are major factors in depression
Preliminary results from the STAR-D project, one of the nation's largest studies of depression, show that chronic depressive episodes are common and are associated with poorer physical health, lower quality of life, socioeconomic disadvantage and minority status.
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Treatment for Chronic Depression: Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) by James P. McCullough Jr. PhD (Author) This volume describes the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), a research-based approach designed to motivate chronically depressed patients to change and to help them develop needed problem-solving and relationship skills. Presenting clear, step-by-step guidelines for implementing CBASP--along with compelling empirical evidence that supports its efficacy--the book is filled with illustrative case material that brings challenging clinical situations to life. Also covered are ways to measure treatment outcomes and recommended procedures for training and supervision. |
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Chronic Depression: Interpersonal Sources, Therapeutic Solutions by Jeremy W. Pettit (Author), Thomas E. Joiner (Author) In this highly readable volume, the authors survey the interpersonal sources of chronic depression, discussing interpersonal processes (stress generation, negative feedback-seeking, interpersonal conflict avoidance, and blame maintenance, among others) that lead to the maintenance of depression. |
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T.W.S: Overcoming Depression and Chronic Fatigue-- A Complete Step-By-Step Training DVD * NTSC VERSION (USA & Canada) If you're depressed or suffering from chronic fatigue it means that your body has entered a vicious circle of producing a cocktail of chemicals that bring you down. The Trip-Wire Solution has proven so effective in combating depression and chronic fatigue because it enables individuals to teach or "kick-start" their bodies into producing vital feel good endorphins again. This is achived using highly specilised exercises that concentrate on the abdomen, diaphragm and face muscles. These muscles are so important in this process because they alone communicate to our subconscios when we're having a good time-- and therefore when to release these uplifting endorphins into our system. The exercises contained on this DVD will enable you to release... |
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Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Depression Following an incisive foreword by Allen J. Frances, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Task Force on DSM-IV, chapters discuss many of the problems that arise in classifying chronic depression and in treating and diagnosing the individual patient. Dysthymic disorder in childhood and adolescence is explored, as is the co-occurrence of dysthymic disorder with other conditions. The text also sheds light on the social and vocational impairments often experienced by those who suffer from chronic depression. Included are in-depth discussions about the course and natural history of dysthymia as well as what is known about the family history of this disorder. Of particular interest to clinicians are chapters that cover the pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of dysthymic disorder and... |
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The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by Mark Williams (Author), John Teasdale (Author), Zindel Segal (Author), Jon Kabat-Zinn (Author) If you’ve ever struggled with depression, take heart. Mindfulness, a simple yet powerful way of paying attention to your most difficult emotions and life experiences, can help you break the cycle of chronic unhappiness once and for all. In The Mindful Way through Depression, four uniquely qualified experts explain why our usual attempts to “think” our way out of a bad mood or just “snap out of it” lead us deeper into the downward spiral. Through insightful lessons drawn from both Eastern meditative traditions and cognitive therapy, they demonstrate how to sidestep the mental habits that lead to despair, including rumination and self-blame, so you can face life’s challenges with greater resilience. Jon Kabat-Zinn gently and encouragingly narrates the accompanying CD of guided... |
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Chronic Depression Series Vol. 3 |
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Zenbev by Biosential 8.8 oz Jar by Zenbev by Zenbev WHAT DOES ZENBEV DO? Zenbev can be taken during the day to provide a powerful source of tryptophan, a precursor for serotonin. Serotonin regulates mood, emotion and appetite, and is well-known to alleviate stress. Other purported benefits of ingesting a natural source of tryptophan include easing chronic pain symptoms, weight loss and increased libido. Tryptophan is light sensitive, meaning it metabolizes differently in light vs. dark conditions. When taken during daylight hours Zenbev's tryptophan becomes serotonin providing the afore mentioned benefits. If taken at night, Zenbev's tryptophan turns into serotonin, which then metabolizes into melatonin, thus activating the brain's own sleep mechanism. As the brain produces the exact amount of melatonin that it requires,... |
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