RxPG News : Depression

Incubator care at birth reduces depression risk in adult life

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:12:16 PST

Toronto, Nov 12 - A Canadian study says babies who receive incubator care after birth are two to three times less likely to suffer depression in their adult life.

Depression during pregnancy doubles risk of premature delivery

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:33:39 PST

Washington, Oct 23 - Depressed pregnant women face twice the risk of premature delivery than their counterparts with no such symptoms, according to a new study.

Depression is wrongly seen as natural part of getting older

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:02:41 PST

More than two million older people over the age of 65 in England have symptoms of depression, but the vast majority are denied any help, according to a new report published today by Age Concern.

Depression increases risk of Alzheimer's disease

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:38:07 PST

Washington, April 8 - Depressed people are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with a more positive outlook to life, says a new study.

Antidepressants that are more efficient and faster

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:00:00 PST

In the PhD defended by the pharmacologist and biochemist Jorge Emilio Ortega Calvo at the University of the Basque Country, a new anti-depressant treatment strategy is proposed that is capable of improving on the current one with its drawbacks.

Depressed older people risk losing their minds

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:30:35 PST

New York, Oct 9 - Older people who suffer from depression face higher risk of losing intellectual ability, the results of a study conducted in the US show.

Antidepressant Augmentation Can Be Useful in Treatment Resistant Elderly Patients

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:00:00 PST

Adding a medication to a standard treatment regimen for major depressive disorder in the elderly improves chances of recovery in those who do not adequately respond to the first-course therapy or who relapse from it, finds a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association.

Genetic variations may predispose some men to suicidal thoughts during treatment for depression

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:00:00 PST

Genetic variations may help explain why some men with depression develop suicidal thoughts and behaviors after they begin taking antidepressant medications, while most do not, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Antidepressant does not improve symptoms in advanced cancer patients without major depression

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

The established antidepressant sertraline does not improve symptoms, wellbeing or survival in patients with advanced cancer who do not have major depression. The findings are reported early Online - timed to coincide with presentation of the paper at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago ? and in the July edition of The Lancet Oncology.

High-quality child care for low-income children offset the risk of later depression

Sun, 20 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

Young adults from low-income families who were in full-time early educational child care from infancy to age 5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who were not in this type of care, according to a new report. The early educational intervention also appears to have protected the children to some extent against the negative effects of their home environments.

Study challenges stages of grief

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:44:52 PST

After the death of a loved one from natural causes, the normal responses from most people are acceptance and yearning for the deceased, according to a new study in the February 21 issue of JAMA that is an empirical examination of the stage theory of grief.

Research paper examines depression in three cities in Pakistan

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:09:46 PST

A paper authored by two Memorial University faculty members will be published Feb. 14 in PLoS ONE, the international, peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication from the Public Library of Science (PLoS). Drs. Amin A. Muhammad Gadit and Gerry Mugford are the authors of the paper, entitled, "Prevalence of depression among house holds in three capital cities of Pakistan: Need to revise the mental health policy."

Depression may be involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 14:43:33 PST

Depressive symptomsespecially physical signs, such as fatigue and loss of appetitemay be associated with thickening arteries, which may reflect an early sign of coronary artery disease, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

People with low blood pressure may face depression

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:13:24 PST

London, Jan 25 - People suffering from low blood pressure may face the risk of being depressed and anxious, say researchers.

Certain anti-depressants double fracture risk

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:21:39 PST

New York, Jan 23 - Daily use of certain anti-depressant drugs could double the risk of fractures in adults above 50 years of age because of their effect on bone physiology, says a new study.

People with depression could be prone to stroke

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 10:48:43 PST

New York, Jan 8 - People with symptoms of depression could face the risk of a stroke or mini stroke, says a new study. But the risk was not found among individuals older than 65.

Child abuse and neglect associated with increased risk of depression among young adults

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 03:23:17 PST

People who were abused and neglected during childhood have a higher risk of major depression when they become young adults, according to a report in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Cost effectiveness of Combination Therapies in Severe Depression

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:24:40 PST

Psychological therapy and antidepressants given together (combination therapy) is likely to be a cost-effective treatment for severe depression, according to a new study.

New brain-chemistry differences found in depressed women

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:26:00 PST

A new brain study finds major differences between women with serious depression and healthy women in a brain-chemical system that's crucial to stress and emotions.

Stereotypical self-image interferes with depression treatment

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 16:15:00 PST

A mans stereotypical self-image as the strong, silent type and the stigma of depression are major reasons why older men are less likely than women to be referred to studies of depression, to seek treatment for depression, and to recognize and express symptoms of depression, according to clinicians and recruiters interviewed for a new study from the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
UC Davis Health System is an integrated, academic health system encompassing UC Davis School of Medicine, the 577-bed acute-care hospital and clinical services of UC Davis Medical Center, and the 800-member physician group known as UC Davis Medical Group.

Exaggerated inflammatory response to psychological stress seen in major depression

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 16:03:00 PST

Individuals with major depression have an exaggerated inflammatory response to psychological stress compared to those who do not suffer from depression, according to a study by researchers at Emory University School of Medicine. Because an overactive inflammatory response may contribute to a number of medical disorders as well as to depression, the findings suggest that increased inflammatory responses to stress in depressed patients may be a link between depression and other diseases, including heart disease, as well as contributing to depression itself.

Ever-happy mice may hold key to new treatment of depression

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 13:13:00 PST

A new breed of permanently 'cheerful' mouse is providing hope of a new treatment for clinical depression. TREK-1 is a gene that can affect transmission of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is known to play an important role in mood, sleep and sexuality. By breeding mice with an absence of TREK-1, researchers were able create a depression-resistant strain. The details of this research, which involved an international collaboration with scientists from the University of Nice, France, are published in Nature Neuroscience this week.

Treating depression may raise anxiety levels

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 15:10:00 PST

An Indo-American team studying the brain of genetically engineered mice has found out why some people under treatment for depression are driven to commit suicide. All antidepressant medications sold in the US are required to carry a warning that use of these drugs 'increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behaviour.' The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made this warning mandatory two years ago on the basis of short-term clinical studies in children and adolescents.

Depressed singles receive greater psychological benefits from getting married

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:51:00 PST

Depressed singles receive greater psychological benefits from getting married than those who are not depressed, new research shows. While many studies have shown that marriage helps boost well-being, most studies have looked at a general, average population and don't examine whether some people were helped more by marriage than others.

STAR*D Trial: Third antidepressant medication might help in treatment-resistant depression

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 21:01:00 PST

The next wave of results from the nation's largest real-world study of treatment-resistant depression shows that patients had a moderate chance of becoming symptom-free when they switched to a third antidepressant medication, following two previously unsuccessful medication attempts. These results from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial, funded by NIMH, were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry on July 1, 2006.

Residual Depressive Cognitions could Predict Relapse of Depressive Illness

Tue, 04 Jul 2006 13:26:00 PST

Some individuals with a history of depression may sink back into thinking patterns associated with the condition when faced with mild stresses or sadness, increasing their risk for relapse, according to a report in the July issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Many patients who recover from depression eventually relapse, according to background information in the article. Management of depression usually focuses on alleviating symptoms rather than reducing the risk for recurrence or identifying patients who might relapse after successful treatment. Previous studies have found that some patients who have recovered from depression still show cognitive processes-patterns in thinking, learning and memory-commonly associated with the condition, while others in remission do not. Such cognitive processes include certain ways of explaining events or particular assumptions about self-worth.

Link Between Depression and Heart Disease

Tue, 04 Jul 2006 01:43:00 PST

Naturally occurring steroids in the body may make people with a history of depression more vulnerable to coronary heart disease, according to new research from the University of Birmingham.

Social factors not hormones cause post-natal depression

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:11:00 PST

Women are being sold the idea that their bodies are biologically faulty and they need medication for PMS, post-natal depression and menopausal outbursts when in fact the pressures of being 'superwoman' are more likely to blame, says a leading expert.

No evidence for congenital abnormalities by paroxetine

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:49:00 PST

A study carried out by German researchers has failed to show that a popular antidepressant, paroxetine, causes congenital abnormalities if taken by pregnant women, the 22nd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard today (Monday).

FDA approved Wellbutrin for seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 05:41:00 PST

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Wellbutrin XL for prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with a history of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is the first drug approved for SAD. Wellbutrin XL (bupropion HCL extended release tablets) previously was approved for treatment of major depressive disorder.

Depression and Diabetes: Which Comes First?

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 05:16:00 PST

The use of antidepressant drugs was associated with a significantly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in people who were already at greater risk of the disease and this effect was not seen in those taking the drug metformin, according to a report presented here today at the American Diabetes Association's 66th Annual Scientific Sessions. Other studies yielded conflicting reports on the role of depression in the risk for diabetes. Researchers concurred, however, that those who have diabetes and depression need better management for the latter, which can interfere with their ability to provide self care for their diabetes.

Brain images suggest vagal nerve stimulation for severe depression can take months to work

Fri, 26 May 2006 13:53:00 PST

It takes time between three and 12 months before a new type of therapy for treatment-resistant depression starts to benefit patients, according to new preliminary brain scan research that confirms earlier observations by psychiatrists about vagal nerve stimulation. Saint Louis University, working in collaboration with Washington University School of Medicine, conducted a pilot study of brain scans of a small group of depressed patients who received vagal nerve stimulation after failing other therapies. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans showed significant changes in brain activity starting three months after vagal nerve stimulation treatment began. These changes continued to evolve over the course of the next 21 months.

Melatonin improves mood in winter depression

Sun, 07 May 2006 19:41:00 PST

OHSU study reveals how low-dose melatonin taken in the afternoon helps most winter depressives whose physiological clocks are off kilter due to the later winter sunrise

SSRI anti-depressants may cause stillbirth

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 13:54:00 PST

Women who take a type of antidepressant medication during pregnancy face the risk of a stillborn baby, warns a study. Canadian researchers at the University of Ottawa compared the health of babies born to 972 women taking SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) with that of babies born to mothers who did not use anti-depressants.

Brain imaging can predict effectiveness of CBT in depression

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 06:52:00 PST

Whether or not cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) will help a person recover from depression can be predicted through brain imaging, according to research results published by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the April issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association.

Successful treatment of mothers with depression helps their children

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 07:10:00 PST

Children whose mothers are depressed are more likely to suffer from anxiety, mental-health problems and disruptive behavior than those whose moms aren't. And if the mothers don't get better, these kids' problems often become worse, new research shows.

Women with urinary incontinence face depression risk

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:27:00 PST

Women who suffer from urinary incontinence are more likely to be depressed, says a study.

Anti-depressant use associated with increased risk for heart patients

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:24:00 PST

In a surprising finding, patients with coronary artery disease who take commonly used antidepressant drugs may be at significantly higher risk of death, Duke University Medical Center researchers have found. Even after controlling for such factors as age, degree of heart disease and severity of depression, the researchers found that heart patients taking antidepressant medications had a 55 percent higher risk of dying. Previously, Duke researchers reported that the presence of depression is an important risk factor for heart patients. This new finding of the risk from anti-depressants raises issues about the optimal way to treat depression in cardiac patients, the researchers said. According to Duke team leader Lana Watkins, Ph.D., the researchers believe their findings add further support for the potential role oft non-pharmocological approaches to treating depression, such as exercise, in reducing the risk of death in depressed heart patients. She said that physicians caring for heart patients who are taking antidepressants should monitor patients closely.

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) plays a role in development of social aversion

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 18:28:00 PST

A Florida State University scientist used a gene transfer technique to block the expression of a gene associated with clinical depression in a new study of mice that could lead to better treatment of human beings with this condition.

SSRIs linked with increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 15:52:00 PST

A University of California , San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine collaborative study with Boston University s Slone Epidemiology Center found an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) in newborns of mothers who used certain commonly prescribed antidepressants in late pregnancy. The results of the study will be published in the February 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Depression frequent and highly persistent in 'oldest old'

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:22:00 PST

Amongst the oldest old (85-plus), depression is frequent and highly persistent, according to a new study from The Netherlands.

Radio Frequency-powered Neural Stimulator (RFNS) as treatment for depression, seizures

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 22:04:00 PST

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, with the help of a team of Pittsburgh high school science teachers, have developed a wireless device that is implanted in the neck to fight depression and epileptic seizures. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration already has approved a wired version of the device, but that one carries risks and several undesirable side effects.

Antidepressants may affect human immune system

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 21:54:00 PST

Drugs that treat depression by manipulating the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain may also affect the user's immune system in ways that are not yet understood, say scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center and a Canadian research institute.

Heritability of major depression is higher in women

Sat, 07 Jan 2006 17:55:00 PST

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have found that genes contribute more strongly to the risk of depression in women than in men, and that there may be some genetic factors that are operating uniquely in one sex and not in the other.

Suicide risk decrease after initiation of antidepressants

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 20:41:00 PST

The risk of serious suicide attempts or death by suicide generally decreases in the weeks after patients start taking antidepressant medication, according to a new study led by Group Health Cooperative researchers and published in the January issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry. The study also found that the risk of suicidal behavior after starting 10 newer antidepressant medications is less than the risk posed by older medications. These findings challenge a 2004 advisory by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which warned that suicidal behavior may emerge after treatment with the newer antidepressant drugs has begun.

Swimming with dolphins can alleviate depression

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 17:44:00 PST

Swimming with dolphins is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, say researchers in this weeks BMJ. Their findings support the theory of biophilia, which shows how human health and wellbeing are dependent on our relationships with the natural environment. The study was carried out in Honduras and involved 30 patients diagnosed with mild or moderate depression. Half were assigned to the experimental group and half to the control group.

Promising Results from CCBT in Depression

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 19:01:00 PST

Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy should be pursued further as a complement to treatment, or treatment alternative, for mild to moderate depression, a new study from Sweden has found. It is known that major depression can be treated with cognitive-behavioural therapy, but as skilled therapists are in short supply there is a need for self-help approaches. Many people with depression use the internet for discussion of their symptoms and to share their experiences.

Abortion Does Not Raise Risk Of Depression

Sat, 29 Oct 2005 14:42:00 PST

Claims that terminating an unwanted first pregnancy raises the risk of depression is called into question in a study published online by the BMJ. In fact, the authors suggest that abortion may be linked to a lower risk of depression through beneficial effects on education, income, and family size. The study involved 1,247 US women who aborted or delivered an unwanted first pregnancy between 1970 and 1992. The women were interviewed over several years to examine the relation between pregnancy outcome and later depression.

New Surgical Treatment For Severe Depression

Sun, 09 Oct 2005 00:09:00 PST

Treatment-resistant depression is a severe form of the illness that affects 20% of patients with depression. A team of psychiatrists and neurosurgeons at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Medical Center is the first in the area to offer implantation of a device recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating patients with treatment-resistant depression. Called Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), the therapy is delivered from a pacemaker-like generator implanted in the chest that sends mild and intermittent electrical pulses through the vagus nerve in the neck to the brain. The vagus nerve, one of the 12 cranial nerves, serves as the bodys information highway connecting the brain to many major organs. Several studies have shown that VNS therapy may modulate neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine thought to be involved in mood regulation.

Severe carbohydrate cravers experienced the most benefit from chromium picolinate supplementation

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 21:20:00 PST

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing chromium picolinate supplementation in 113 people with atypical depression found that a subset of patients who reported the highest levels of carbohydrate cravings demonstrated significantly greater reductions than the placebo group on four items on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-29): carbohydrate craving, appetite increase, increased eating, and diurnal variation of feeling (mood variation throughout the day). The study, published today in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, found that 65 percent of the chromium picolinate patients with high carbohydrate craving versus 33 percent of those receiving placebo had significantly greater improvements on total HAM-D-29 scores (p less than 0.05). HAM-D-29 is a standard tool commonly used in assessing severity of symptoms in depressed patients.

Downward Social Shift Quadruples Male Depression Risk

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 17:55:00 PST

Men who slide down the social ladder during their lifetime take the blow much harder than women in the same position, a new study shows. Women were twice as likely to be downwardly mobile but generally avoided the depression and poor psychological wellbeing that researchers found in men in the same position.

Depression may worsen heart failure by increasing TNF-alpha

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 16:00:00 PST

New research suggests that depression may hasten the progression of heart disease by increasing the levels of a key protein that causes inflammation.

Telephone-administered psychotherapy effective in multiple sclerosis

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 06:52:00 PST

Patients with multiple sclerosis showed significant improvement in their depression during 16 weeks of telephone-administered psychotherapy treatment, according to an article in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Antidepressant Paroxetine Shown to Increase Suicidal Tendencies in Adults

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 15:15:00 PST

Adult patients taking the antidepressant drug paroxetine are at higher risk of attempting to commit suicide than those not taking medication. A new analysis, published in BMC Medicine, of previous clinical data on paroxetine use adds the antidepressant to the list of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) that have been shown to increase suicidal tendencies in adult patients with depression.

Depression linked to previously unknown dopamine regulator par-4

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 15:34:00 PST

Researchers from Harvard Medical School have found a molecule that is unexpectedly involved in dopamine signaling, and in a manner that supports the potential of dopamine as an alternative target for treating depression. The results provide evidence that there is a molecular link between impaired dopamine signaling and depression, which affects 16 percent of the adult population in the United States.

Male GPs are far more likely to prescribe antidepressants

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 16:40:00 PST

Research by the Mental Health Foundation today revealed that male GPs are far more likely to prescribe antidepressants as a first treatment response to patients with mild or moderate depression than female GPs (61 per cent, compared to 37 per cent), and are twice as likely to think them effective (43 per cent, compared to 17 per cent).

Pain generated by damage to the nervous system can be treated with antidepressants

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 15:07:00 PST

Antidepressant drugs such as amitriptyline are effective against a variety of neuropathic pains.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation aid severe depression

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 12:48:00 PST

For severe depression, electro-shock therapy is nowadays the last hope. However, it can impair memory for weeks after therapy. A less aggressive alternative seems to be provided by what is known as "transcranial magnetic stimulation". This is the conclusion arrived at by doctors and psychologists of the Bonn University Clinic in an article which has just appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry (vol. 186 [2005], pp. 410-416).

Prenatal efforts ineffective in treating postnatal depression

Sun, 10 Jul 2005 15:21:00 PST

The key to preventing postpartum depression may be individual support provided after birth by a health professional and tailored to a mother's needs, says a University of Toronto researcher.

Consistent association between physical health and depression amongst old

Tue, 05 Jul 2005 22:23:00 PST

A Europe-wide study has shown a consistent association between declining physical health and depression amongst older people.

Self-harm in older people with depression

Thu, 02 Jun 2005 16:24:00 PST

A poorly integrated social network and hopelessness are signs of an increased likelihood of self-harm among older people with depression.

Teenage depression can become a life-long illness

Sun, 29 May 2005 16:23:00 PST

Teenage depression is widespread and can become a life-long illness, but is more often transitory, said UCLA Psychology Professor Constance Hammen, who will discuss her research at an invited address May 27 at the American Psychological Society's annual convention in Los Angeles.

Depression is common in patients after heart attack

Fri, 27 May 2005 13:17:00 PST

Researchers at Johns Hopkins' Evidenced-Based Practice Center have found that one in five patients hospitalized for heart attack experiences a major depression. According to the Hopkins cardiologists who conducted the study, these depressed patients are 50 percent more likely than other heart attack patients to need hospital care for a heart problem again within a year and three times as likely to die from a future attack or other heart-related conditions.

Brain fatty acid levels linked to depression

Thu, 26 May 2005 18:52:00 PST

A group of researchers from Israel has discovered that rats exhibiting the signs of depression have increased levels of the omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid, in their brains. The details of their findings appear in the June issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, an American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology journal.

Isotretionoin Does not Aggravate Depression

Wed, 18 May 2005 16:59:00 PST

Adolescents with moderate to severe acne experienced a reduction rather than an increase in symptoms of depression while taking the medication isotretinoin, according to a study in the May issue of the Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Gene May Increase Depression Susceptibility

Mon, 09 May 2005 21:02:00 PST

A brain scan study suggests that a suspect gene may increase susceptibility to anxiety and depression* by weakening a circuit for processing negative emotion. People with the depression-linked gene variant showed less gray matter and weaker connections in the mood-regulating circuit.

'Promiscuous' area of brain could explain role of antidepressants

Thu, 07 Apr 2005 18:11:00 PST

A study at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston may lead to a better understanding of how antidepressants like Prozac work and how to make them more effective.

Negative self-beliefs are risk factor for depression in women

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 18:32:00 PST

Women who hold negative beliefs about themselves are at increased risk of becoming depressed, according to a new study.

Cordance QEEG can assess Susceptibility to Antidepressant Side Effects

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:10:00 PST

In a finding that opens new doors to determining susceptibility to antidepressant side effects, researchers at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute report that changes in brain activity prior to treatment with antidepressants can flag patient vulnerability.

Successful treatment of depression slows slow physical decline in older adults

Fri, 18 Mar 2005 22:45:00 PST

Prior clinical trials of successful treatment of depression in this age group reported improvement in emotional functioning, but had not demonstrated that improved emotional health also translated into improved physical health. Older adults with depression report persistent greater functional impairment than those without depression.

New Study study shows link between depression and worsening heart disease

Thu, 10 Mar 2005 16:24:00 PST

Depression is known to be "hard on the heart" now researchers are a step closer to understanding why. A new Columbia University Medical Center study examining potential links between depression and heart disease found that heart disease patients who showed symptoms of depression were substantially less adherent to taking a prescribed medicine than patients without depression. Patients who continued to show signs of depression three months after a heart attack or angina only took prescribed medications 67 percent of the time, compared to almost 90 percent in non-depressed patients.

Testing new methods of enhanced care for depression

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 20:57:00 PST

Researchers at the University of York are investigating a new method of organising care for some of the three million adults in the UK who suffer from clinical depression.

Electrical deep brain stimulation can dramatically alleviate treatment refractory depression

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 17:46:00 PST

The 6 month study led by Helen Mayberg of Emory University School of Medicine and colleagues showed that the patients reported immediate improvements in mood when the electrical stimulation of a few volts was applied to the implanted electrodes. These effects persisted in four of the patients for the full 6 months, with three patients achieving remission or near remission of the depression. No psychological side effects were reported, and other adverse effects were limited to minor infections around the implant site, which were treatable with antibiotics, wrote the researchers.

Research shows St. John's Wart as effective as Paroxetine

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 19:43:00 PST

A specially manufactured extract from the herb St John's Wort is at least as effective in treating depression as a commonly prescribed anti-depressant, according to new research published on bmj.com today.

Multiple Medication Use Increase as a Function of Age and Antidepressant Use,studies show

Sun, 06 Feb 2005 11:57:00 PST

Two new studies show that combinations of medications taken by patients vary widely, making it extremely difficult to monitor or predict drug-drug interactions.The articles published in the January 2005 issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Practice found that virtually no two patients on more than one drug were taking the same combination of medications,which highlights the difficulty of monitoring for and predicting potentially dangerous drug-drug interactions.

Female monkeys can be a useful model for learning more about depression in women

Fri, 21 Jan 2005 13:39:00 PST

The scientists found that depressed female monkeys become socially withdrawn and have reduced body fat, low levels of activity, high heart rates and disruptions in hormone levels all of which are known or suspected characteristics of major depression in women. Their research is based on female monkeys because women are 66 percent more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetimes.

Hepatitis C patients are less likely to have a good outcome if they develop depression

Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:38:00 PST

In a study conducted in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, Charles L. Raison, MD, Andrew Miller, MD, and colleagues, observed that patients who develop depressive symptoms during interferon-alpha plus ribavirin therapy were significantly less likely to have cleared the hepatitis C virus from their blood following six months of treatment.

Mutant gene linked to treatment-refractory depression

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 18:53:00 PST

A mutant gene that starves the brain of serotonin, a mood-regulating chemical messenger, has been discovered and found to be 10 times more prevalent in depressed patients than in control subjects, report researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Patients with the mutation failed to respond well to the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant medications, which work via serotonin, suggesting that the mutation may underlie a treatment-resistant subtype of the illness.

Better life quality with ECT in depression

Thu, 04 Nov 2004 15:30:00 PST

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) improves quality of life and functioning in people with severe depression, a new study has found.

Depression in mothers linked to anti-social behaviour in children

Wed, 22 Sep 2004 22:42:00 PST

A new twin study has found that maternal depression is associated with child anti-social behaviour (ASB).

By the time the children of depressed mothers are seven, there is a significant relationship between the degree of maternal depression and the level of child ASB.

Higher rates of depression found among white pupils

Sat, 04 Sep 2004 22:48:00 PST

The largest UK study of psychological distress among ethnic minority adolescents has found higher rates of depressive symptoms among non-UK White pupils compared with White UK pupils.