Research on depression and its treatment. Covers stress-response biology, ketamine and dopamine-targeting therapies, treatment-resistant cases, and brain mechanisms.
Research using MRI reveals that childhood stress and abuse can lead to permanent brain structure changes, making individuals more susceptible to developing depression. The study's findings have significant implications for early intervention and prevention strategies.
Researchers found that exergames significantly improved mood and mental health-related quality of life in older adults with subsyndromal depression. The study suggests encouraging results from using video games to improve symptoms, with over one-third of participants experiencing a 50-percent or greater reduction of depressive symptoms.
A recent NYU study empirically challenges the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' criteria for diagnosing depression, suggesting that psychiatrists' official method to prevent false-positive diagnoses may not be effective. The study examines the Clinical Significance Criterion (CSC)...
A study at Rush University Medical Center found that belief in a concerned God improves response to medical treatment for clinical depression. Participants who scored high on the Religious Well-Being Scale were 75% more likely to experience an improvement with medication.
Researchers found that depression is associated with spikes in cortisol levels for both boys and girls after stress tests. However, higher cortisol reactions to stress are only linked to obesity in girls. Early treatment of depression could help reduce stress and control obesity in this demographic.
A Stanford University study found that acupuncture significantly reduced depression symptoms in pregnant women. The treatment was associated with a 63% response rate, compared to 44% for other groups. The researchers hope to raise awareness of the problem and provide an alternative to antidepressants.
A study published in Pediatrics found that over half of low-income urban mothers met the criteria for a diagnosis of depression after childbirth. Researchers identified three reliable screening tools to detect depression accurately among this population, highlighting the need to adjust cutoff scores for optimal identification.
A major new study published in the European Heart Journal found that people who are usually happy and content have a lower risk of heart disease than those who tend to be unhappy. The study suggests that increasing positive emotions may help prevent heart disease, but more clinical trials are needed.
A review of nearly 20 years of literature found that depression does not always lead to cognitive difficulties such as memory problems or difficulties concentrating and paying attention. Processing speed was the cognitive function most often affected by depression, with a slower capability when individuals are depressed.
A new study found that women with medium or low income levels are more susceptible to anxiety and depression after being diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Women with financial hardship may benefit from psychosocial interventions designed to accommodate their unique needs.
Researchers developed a color chart called The Manchester Color Wheel to study people's emotions. Depressed individuals tend to prefer gray, while anxious ones choose between positive and negative colors more frequently than healthy participants.
A longitudinal study found that pregnant mothers who experience depression are four times more likely to have children exhibiting violent behavior at age 16. The study suggests a link between maternal depression during pregnancy and increased antisocial behavior in children, with no apparent influence from family environment factors.
A study of over 500 low-income children found that early abuse can lead to more frequent and severe depression, with distinct cortisol regulation patterns. Children who experienced maltreatment before age 5 showed atypical cortisol production, indicating compromised stress systems.
Researchers found acupuncture to be an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy, with participants experiencing significant symptom reduction and higher response rates. The study's results suggest that acupuncture could be a viable treatment option for pregnant women struggling with depression.
A large-scale UK study found that people who spend too much time online are more likely to show depressive symptoms. Internet addiction was linked to higher incidence of moderate to severe depression in young people and adults.
A new study found that many non-psychiatrist physicians and a substantial minority of psychiatrists reported infrequently using the DSM-IV criteria to diagnose major depressive disorder. This could lead to unnecessary medication prescriptions for patients who do not have major depression.
A study published in Chest found that caregivers of ICU patients experience profound emotional and economic burdens, with predictors including male patient gender and tracheostomy. The research highlights the need for interventions to support families coping with critical illness beyond hospitalization.
Researchers found that participants who attended AA meetings more frequently had fewer depression symptoms and less drinking compared to those with less AA participation. The study suggests that the social aspects of AA may contribute to improved mental well-being and abstinence.
A study published in Diabetes Care found that patients with depression are at a 36% higher risk of developing advanced micro-vascular complications, such as end-stage kidney disease or blindness. Depression is also linked to a 25% higher risk of macrovascular complications, including stroke and heart attack.
A study found that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens improved symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with severe treatment-resistant depression. The procedure showed promising results with minimal side effects.
A new study published by the American Psychological Association finds psychodynamic psychotherapy to be highly effective in alleviating mental health symptoms, with benefits persisting after treatment has ended. The therapy's focus on self-reflection and examining relationship patterns leads to substantial treatment benefits.
Researchers identified a causal link between serotonin receptors and depression treatment resistance. Higher autoreceptor levels in the brain were associated with reduced stress resilience and decreased response to antidepressant medication.
A 64-year-old woman with severe depression was treated with deep brain stimulation of the habenula, showing significant improvement and long-term remission. The procedure is a new treatment option for therapy-resistant depression, building on existing knowledge of the habenula's role in the condition.
Researchers found that expressing mutant DISC1 during prenatal periods, postnatal periods, or both led to distinct brain alterations and behaviors resembling schizophrenia or mood disorders. The study suggests that manipulating DISC1 expression timing may help develop new therapies for psychiatric disorders.
A meta-analysis of randomized trials found that antidepressant medications provide substantial benefit for patients with very severe depression, but little to no benefit for those with mild or moderate symptoms. The study suggests that the efficacy of these medications largely depends on the severity of depression symptoms.
A study found that many Americans with major depression do not receive adequate treatment, with racial and ethnic groups facing disparities. Psychotherapy is more commonly used than pharmacotherapy, but individuals with specific ethnic backgrounds have lower odds of receiving concordant care.
A study of over 15,659 adolescents found that those with earlier parental set bedtimes were less likely to suffer from depression and suicidal ideation. The association was most pronounced among adolescents who slept for five hours or fewer per night.
A new study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that depressed patients struggle to sustain activity in brain areas related to positive emotion and reward. Researchers found that despite normal initial levels of activity, depression impairs ability to maintain them over time.
Researchers pinpointed prime factors identifying elderly persons at high risk for developing major depression, including low-level depressive symptoms and poor social support. Preventive treatments hold promise for providing the greatest health benefit at the lowest cost.
Researcher Brandon Gibb is studying the causes of mental-health problems in kids and defining trajectories of risk for depression. He hopes to identify genetic, environmental, and psychological variables that contribute to depression in children.
A new study found that physical activity increases self-efficacy, which in turn reduces disease-related depression and fatigue. Higher levels of physical activity correspond to higher self-efficacy and lower levels of depression and fatigue, but the effect is reduced when controlling for self-efficacy.
Researchers found that antidepressant medications can substantially change patients' personalities, particularly those with high neuroticism and low extraversion. Personality changes were linked to long-term improvements in mood, suggesting a potential mechanism for modern antidepressants.
Postmenopausal women taking antidepressants may be at higher risk of stroke and death compared to those not taking the medication. Researchers emphasize the need for individualized risk assessment and further study to determine the exact association.
A new study reveals that most antidepressants miss the mark on a key brain protein called monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), which is highly elevated during clinical depression. This finding has important implications for understanding why antidepressants don't always work, with potential benefits for developing more effective treatments.
USF researchers Paul Sanberg and Douglas Shytle developed TC-5214, a promising alternative to antidepressants, which has shown effectiveness in treating treatment-resistant depression. The $1B deal with AstraZeneca could generate substantial revenue for the university.
A study found that antidepressants can change personality traits like neuroticism and extraversion while alleviating depressive symptoms. Individuals taking the medication reported significant decreases in neuroticism and increases in extraversion compared to those receiving placebo or cognitive therapy.
Researchers found that anxiety sensitivity significantly predicted depression symptoms in above-average worriers. The fear of cognitive dyscontrol and publically observable anxiety symptoms specifically correlated with depression. Understanding this link may lead to new depression treatments by addressing anxiety sensitivity.
Researchers found that depressed women had no significant difference in weight loss success compared to non-depressed women. The key factor was attendance at a minimum of 12 sessions, regardless of depression status.
A Mayo Clinic-led study found that nearly 9% of US surgeons reported making a major error in the past three months, with burnout and depression being key factors. The researchers suggest that reducing work hours may not be enough to limit errors unless addressing burnout is also prioritized.
A recent study by Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that burned-out and depressed surgeons are more likely to report major medical errors. The research found a significant association between burnout, depression, and self-reported medical errors, highlighting the need for better support for surgeons struggling with mental health.
Researchers found that children whose mothers had more depressive symptoms experienced more frequent asthma symptoms, while those with fewer depressive symptoms had less frequent symptoms. The study suggests maternal depression is an independent risk factor for childhood asthma symptoms.
A new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that Transcendental Meditation significantly reduces blood pressure, anxiety and depression in young adults at risk for hypertension. The three-month intervention program showed a 52% lower risk of developing hypertension in later years.
A motivationally-enhanced cardiac rehabilitation program for women with coronary heart disease significantly improves depressive symptoms and adherence rates compared to traditional programs. The intervention, tailored to the needs of women and their stage of readiness, led to sustained improvements at a 6-month follow-up period.
A study found that depression increases mortality risk similar to smoking, but anxiety reduces it when combined with depression. Researchers suggest that help-seeking behavior may explain this pattern, and highlight the need for more attention on physical health in people with mental disorders.
A study published in JAMA found that telephone-delivered collaborative care for post-CABG depression significantly improved mental HRQL, physical functioning, and mood symptoms. Intervention patients reported a 50% or greater reduction in mood symptoms compared to those receiving usual care.
A study found that a nurse-led telephone care program for depression post-bypass surgery improved mental health-related quality of life and physical functioning in CABG patients. The intervention showed significant reductions in mood symptoms, with men particularly benefiting from the treatment.
A large-scale meta-analysis has found a clear connection between depression and reduced bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. The study, conducted by Hebrew University researchers, reveals that young women are particularly at risk, especially those with clinical depression.
A recent study found that head injuries can amplify the psychological impact of torture on survivors, with structural brain changes and more severe depression symptoms reported in those who experienced both. The research suggests that physical effects may help explain why standard therapies often don't work for torture survivors.
The new TMS clinic offers a safe and effective, non-drug treatment for major depression. TMS therapy stimulates the brain linked to depression by delivering magnetic field pulses, providing an alternative for those not responding to traditional treatments.
A new study from University of Bonn suggests that deep brain stimulation can significantly improve depression in half of patients, who had previously not responded to other therapies. The treatment involves implanting electrodes in the nucleus accumbens, a key area of the brain's reward system.
A new study has found that pregnant women with a history of depression who use psychiatric medication are at increased risk of delivering prematurely. The research analyzed data from nearly 3,000 women and showed that medication use and depression were strongly linked to preterm delivery before 35 weeks' gestation.
A new study found that depressed pregnant women have a stronger biological reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine than those with lower depression levels, suggesting immune system dysfunction. This immune dysregulation could affect symptom severity among infected women, highlighting the importance of flu vaccination during pregnancy.
A recent study published in Psychosomatic Medicine found that individuals with depression tend to overreport physical symptoms. Researchers attribute this phenomenon to depressed individuals' recall of experiences differently, tending to ruminate and exaggerate negative emotions.
Researchers found that depression-related genes and stress-related genes have almost no overlap, indicating that chronic stress does not cause the same molecular changes as depression. This finding challenges the long-held belief that stressful life events are a major cause of depression.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found that mice housed in a lighted room for 24 hours a day exhibited more depressive symptoms than those with normal light-dark cycles. However, mice that lived in constant light but could escape showed less evidence of depressive symptoms.
New research suggests that augmenting antidepressant therapy with omega-3 fatty acid supplements does not provide benefit for patients with coronary heart disease and depression. The study found no difference in improvement between groups on the Beck Depression Inventory-II scores.
Researchers found that an intervention called IMPACT improved depression symptoms, quality of life, and functional impairment in older cancer patients. After six months, 55% of IMPACT participants showed a 50% or greater reduction in depression symptoms.
In the Phase 2b trial, TC-5214 outperformed placebo in treating major depressive disorder, achieving high statistical significance on all secondary outcome measures. The study demonstrated a favorable tolerability profile and potential as an augmentation treatment for SSRI-resistant depression.
Researchers at Medical University of South Carolina pioneer bilateral epidural prefrontal cortical stimulation, providing significant improvement in depressive symptoms. Five patients showed average improvement of 54.9% after seven months, including three who reached remission.
A large study found that individuals following a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, were less likely to develop depression. The diet's high intake of monounsaturated fatty acids from olive oil may be protective against depressive symptoms.