Major Depressive Disorder

For patients who emerge from epilepsy surgery seizure-free, the complex relationship between depression, anxiety, and seizure control does not guarantee better quality of life.

Researchers from Finland find high depressive burden is associated with greater disability from the time of lumbar spinal stenosis surgery, including the 5-year point.

This review looks at the important problem of depression in patients with cardiovascular disease and presents useful information for all physicians.

Polyethylene glycol in conjunction with fiber supplementation is an effective treatment for occasional constipation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

While numerous patients require psychiatric interventions before and immediately after surgery, a new report addresses a different psychological process that can occur months or even years later: major quality-of-life (QOL) perception changes related to dramatic weight loss.

Several factors should be considered when choosing a medication and dosing schedule for this depressed adult male who reports being "very sensitive" to medication and expresses particular concern about being either sedated or "revved up" from an antidepressant.

In addition to treating episodes of major depression, Brintellix (vortioxentine) has demonstrated superiority to placebo on measures of cognitive function in adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Results from animal models of depression and a human clinical trial show that enhancing, instead of blocking, the NMDA glutamate receptor can cause antidepressant-like effects.

Within a year of their diagnosis, nearly half of all first-line drug-treated MDD patients were also treated with a second-line therapy, a new study finds. Cymbalta leads the market in second-line therapy, used individually or as a combination, and Abilify is the leading atypical antipsychotic.

The risk for depression exists in the years prior to menopause, but declines as a woman approaches her final menstrual period (FMP) and decreases even further after FMP, according to one study.

Among those with mental disorders, left-handed patients are more likely to be diagnosed with psychotic conditions like schizophrenia than mood disorders like depression.

Evidence shows that interventional approaches such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, deep brain stimulation, and bright light therapy, coupled with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, can be an effective part of treatment for major depressive disorder.

Although we have made great advances in understanding the genetic components of psychiatric illness, caution is essential when applying information from genetic testing to the selection of treatment in clinician practice.

Presentation at the 2013 NEI Psychopharmacology Congress noted potential "red flag" symptoms and events that indicate increased risk of bipolar depression, and discussed several medication options for effectively managing this mental health disorder.

Planning and preparation prior to a disaster, developing networks of contacts with other medical personnel and facilities, avoiding overburdening medical staff and personnel in the aftermath of a disaster, and effectively treating PTSD and other mental health disorders are the keys to disaster preparedness.

One treatment-resistant depression patient's response to over-the-counter cough medicine led Steven P. Levine, MD, to study the mechanism and effects of dextromethorphan in depression.

People with migraines are at twice the risk of depression as people without migraine headaches, particularly those under age 30, according to a new Canadian study.

A group of Taiwanese researchers recently reported in Neurology that depression is an independent risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD).

Study results indicate a significant correlation between depression and hallucination in patients with Parkinson's disease, while anxiety is a significant predictor for both the number and severity of hallucinations.

A unique program that focuses on specific neighborhoods in Philadelphia with high hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS infection rates provides free testing, works with local leaders to destigmatize testing, and connects infected individuals with needed health care services.

Researchers have had little success in developing an HIV cure, but recent studies involving gene therapy, immune-based therapy, reactivation of the immune system, and "very early" treatment have produced promising results.

Due to improvements in treatment and other factors, the number of HIV-positive patients over age 50 is growing rapidly. With their greater risk for serious comorbidities such as depression and addiction, these patients represent a unique challenge for clinicians and caregivers.

Michael R. Clark, MD, MPH, MBA, outlines the vulnerabilities that put patients with acute pain at risk of transitioning into new chronic pain.

In a study published in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, a professor in the Department of Digestive System at Xingtai People's Hospital in China, investigated the correlation between psychological status and the mechanism of action of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).

Steven P. Levine, MD, recommends selecting a biologic intervention from column A and a psychotherapy agent from column B to effectively treat depression and anxiety.

Following previous research that detected a greater risk of major depressive disorder development in HIV-infected patients, a new study examined the psychiatric condition's effect on adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

Depression patients monitored by physicians and care managers in a collaborative model have better antidepressant medication use and clinical outcomes than those treated in a traditional primary care setting, according to a comparison of the two delivery methods published in the May 2013 issue of Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health.

Steven P. Levine, MD, says new research on an old medicine has injected excitement into major depressive disorder treatment.

Prescription-strength doses of vitamin D improve highly prevalent comorbidities among diabetic women, such as depression and pain, and also improve risk factors such as excess weight and high blood pressure.

Comprehensive care for patients with MS starts with medical treatment of the symptoms of their disease, but must also include intervention by clinicians who can address the mental, physical, and social challenges experienced by many patients.