Major Depressive Disorder

The connection between low back pain and depression has remained tenuous at best, but a new analysis has tied the two together.

Neuropathic pain may be reduced when patients take antidepressants that alter a brain pathway, according to a recent study.

Study results indicate that adding aripiprazole to the treatment of adults aged 60 and older who do not achieve remission from depression with a first-line antidepressant appears to effectively achieve and sustain remission.

Having a gene associated with Alzheimer's may also mean a higher risk for depression.

Depression over long periods of time may double the risk of stroke in adults, according to a study that assessed the health information of more than 16,000 adults over 50 years of age in order to determine if there is a link between stroke and depressive symptoms.

Researchers report that in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), greater positive mood throughout daily life was linked to less pain and fewer RA-related restrictions, while negative mood was linked to an increase in RA-related restrictions.

Short winter days can trigger seasonal affective disorder. Vermont researchers said they got longer lasting therapeutic results with cognitive behavioral therapy than with light therapy--apparently because people tire of using the lights.

Sleep apnea and depression are both serious conditions patients deal with on a daily basis. A recent study looked at a possible connection between the two and how doctors can better treat these patients.

A study in BMC Psychiatry is among the first to report a relationship between childhood abuse, personality, adulthood life stresses, and the severity of depression.

A New Zealand study announced in Trials will examine whether the antidepressant nortriptyline can safely and effectively treat knee osteoarthritis. The medication is inexpensive and readily available, and it is well-tolerated in patients treated for depression.

Study results suggest that screening for metabolic syndrome among patients taking antipsychotic medications occurs far less frequently than recommended by the guidelines.

Researchers say determining which patients will respond best to major depressive disorder drug therapies may be possible using a 24-hour wristband monitor.

Forty percent of workers surveyed reported significant symptoms of depression. But more than 50 % of those with symptoms never recognized the need to seek help, Canadian researchers found.

It's not unheard of for patients waiting to get lung transplants to suffer from psychiatric symptoms. In fact, it's actually common and the symptoms aren't limited to those who previously had psychiatric conditions.

Researchers investigated cerebral activation in patients with fibromyalgia (FMS) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and discovered altered central nervous processing in patients with FMS, as well as a distinction between FMS and major depression.

Chronically ill patients with major depression can benefit from religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy at least as much as conventional cognitive therapy, according to a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Researchers report a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis does not increase the risk of anxiety and depression.

The effects of a cognitive-behavioral prevention program for depression appear to be maintained for more than 6 years among teens who are at risk for developing depression and functional impairment.

Researchers have suggested that major depressive disorder (MDD) is a "nonlinear dynamic phenomenon with two discrete states." If so, then treatment can be more effectively tailored based on which state of MDD patients are in.

Researchers reported that treatment with isotretinoin is not only associated with significant clinical improvement in patients with moderate to severe acne, but it also did not cause worsening of depression or suicidal thoughts in any of the patients in the study.

Even in the absence of coronary artery disease, patients with depression appear to experience more frequent chest pain than patients without depression.

A recent study showed that retinal abnormalities detected through objective electrophysiological measurements may help identify the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder and possibly other psychological conditions.

Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea), also known as roseroot, may be an effective antidepressant that is safer and better tolerated than sertraline.

Study results suggest that sustained remission of major depressive disorder requires treatment of all symptoms until they are undetectable, and make a case for linking symptoms with malfunctioning brain circuits and neurotransmitters to find a targeted approach for treating residual symptoms.

Recurrent major depressive disorder episodes are linked to lower bone density in men, according to findings published in the Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions.

A recently published article in JAMA Dermatology explored the curious relationship between psoriasis and depression, since psoriasis has been considered a risk factor for depression, and depression a trigger for psoriasis.

Researchers are preparing to launch a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to see if it is more effective than typical cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of depression.

Bullied adolescents who engage in regular exercise have reduced rates of suicidal ideation and attempt compared to their sedentary peers.

A study in the Annals of Family Medicine illustrated the difficulty in effectively implementing evidence-based care, even when the initiative is supported by an experienced quality improvement collaborative, or when when payment incentives are adjusted with the end goal of increasing collaborative care.

A study in Translational Psychiatry has identified two genetic variations – single nucleotide polymorphisms – that may predict response to antidepressant drugs in Korean patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD).