Ten
years on - the stigma of depression is not yet
reduced
In
1990 a survey found considerable stigma and
discrimination with regard to people with
depression. In 2001 a new study was carried out
using the same
methodology..........................Click
for full news article
Factors
associated with early as opposed to later age of
onset of major depression
Numerous
risk factors for childhood/adolescent onset
depression and for adult-onset depression have
been identified but these have rarely been
studied in parallel. A study of 1500 patients
has recently compared factors associated with
early as opposed to later age of onset of
depression............................
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for full news article
Mice
lacking forebrain glucocorticoid receptors show
depressive features
Numerous
data from animal and human studies suggest an
association between stress hormone abnormalities
and depression. Mice with an acquired deficit in
forebrain glucocorticoid receptors were examined
for physiological and behavioural signs
associated with depression
............................... Click
for full news article
Reversal
of brain volumetric abnormality in bipolar
patients by lithium
The
cingulate cortex plays a key role in mood
disorders. The possible involvement of anatomic
abnormalities of the cingulate in bipolar
disorder has recently been investigated using
magnetic resonance imaging in bipolar patients
both untreated and treated with lithium
monotherapy in comparison with healthy control
subjects.........................Click
for full news article
Association
between specific symptoms and depression in each
sex
Although
it is widely assumed that that certain symptoms
are more prevalent in women and others in men,
few studies have examined sex differences in the
clinical presentation of depression. The
association between different somatic and
psychiatric symptoms with each sex was recently
studied in an urban medical hospital setting in
Japan...........................
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for full news article
Lack
of efficacy of citalopram in treating very old
depressed patients
The
number of the very old people is growing rapidly
and the prevalence of illnesses in this
population is high. Hence the importance of a
recent study which investigated the efficacy of
citalopram in a very old population (mean age
79.6 years). The multi-centre, double blind,
randomised, 8-week trial compared citalopram
(10-40 mg/day) to placebo in depressed patients
aged 75 and
older................................
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for full news article
Norepinephrine
transporter polymorphisms affect the
antidepressant response to the SNRI,
milnacipran
The
effect of serotonin and norepinephrine
transporter polymorphisms on the antidepressant
response to the serotonin and norepinephrine
reuptake inihibitor (SNRI), milnacipran were
investigated in a recent study of 96
Japanese depressed patients. In patients who
completed the trial polymorphism at two sites on
the norepinephrine transporter were associated
with the extent and onset of antidepressants
effects.......................Click
for full news article
Evaluation
of remission in depressed patients with a
self-report questionnaire
In
clinical trials remission is evaluated through
an interviewer-rated scales such as the Hamilton
Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). These require
too much time to be routinely used in clinical
practice. By comparing evaluations of 267
patients on a self-report depression
questionnaire, the Clinically Useful Depression
Outcome Scale (CUDOS) with their HAMD scores a
definition of remission was obtained for the
CUDOS.......................... Click
for full news article
Japanese
algorithm for treating mood disorders
The
Japanese Psychopharmacology Algorithm Project
(JPAP) for mood disorders appeared in 1997 and a
second version was completed in 2003, after
introduction of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and
noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) into
Japan. First-line drugs include the SSRIs,
paroxetine and fluvoxamine, and the SNRI,
milnacipran...............................
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for full news article
Persistence
of somatic symptoms in treated depressed
patients
The
prevalence of physical symptoms is high in
primary care and the majority of depressed
patients complain almost exclusively of somatic
symptoms. The ARTIST (a randomized trial
investigating SSRI treatment) study recently
investigated the effect on physical symptoms in
depressed patients treated with
SSRIs......................Click
for full news article
Efficacy
of atypical neuroleptics in treatment-resistant
depression
Treatment-resistant
major depressive disorder remains an important
problem for clinicians. A systematic chart
review of medication has been conducted to
determine the effectiveness of olanzapine,
risperidone, quetiapine, and ziprasidone as
antidepressant augmentation agents in
non-psychotic major depressive
disorder.............................
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for full news article
Association
between major depression and abnormal central
serotonergic system functioning
A
recent study investigated neural and behavioral
responses to tryptophan depletion in unmedicated
patients with remitted major depressive disorder
in comparison to controls. Regional cerebral
glucose utilization was determined by
18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission
tomography while depressive mood was measured
using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating
Scale .............................
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for full news article
Simultaneous
depletion of tryptophan, tyrosine and
phenylalanine as a probe of brain monoamine
function
Ingestion
of a suspension of amino acids lacking either
tryptophan (Trp) (for depletion of 5-HT), or
tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) (for
depletion of catecholamines) is an established
method for experimentally depleting monoamines
in humans. Usually selective depletion of a
single monoamine is used but in order to study
the multi-monoamine activity of current
antidepressants the simultaneous depletion of
5-HT and catecholamines has been
developed.....................Click
for full news article
Factors
influencing psychiatrists'choice of an
antidepressant
In
a recent survey to examine the factors
considered by psychiatrists when prescribing an
antidepressant , 10 psychiatrists, who
prescribed a first time antidepressant to 1137
depressed patients, completed, immediately after
his antidepressant prescription, a 43-item
yes/no questionnaire listing factors which might
have influenced their choice of a
drug........................... Click
for full news article
The
diagnostic potential of GABA and glutamate
levels for depression
The
g-amino-butyric
acid (GABA) system appears to be involved in the
pathophysiology of depression. Depressed
patients have lower GABA concentrations in
plasma, cerebrospinal fluid and occipital
cortex, while treatment with electroconvulsive
therapy or selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitor results in increased GABA levels in
the brain. A recent study, measuring, in
addition, levels of glutamate, extended these
results to sub-types of
depression............................
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for full news
article
No
correlation between paroxetine plasma levels and
clinical outcome
A
recent study investigated the potential
correlation between drug plasma levels and
symptom improvement in depressed patients
treated with paroxetine. Forty patients with
major depression were treated with paroxetine
for 14 days at 20 mg/day then increased to 40
mg/day for a further 7 weeks. Plasma levels and
HAMD ratings were determined
weekly....................Click
for full news article
Better
clinical outcome for major depression with
algorithm-guided treatment than treatment as
usual
The
Texas Medication Algorithm Project compared
clinical outcomes for major depressive disorder
using algorithm-guided treatment (ALGO) with
treatment as usual (TAU) in a multisite
effectiveness, intent-to-treat, prospective
trial comparing ALGO and TAU
clinics. The aim was to assess whether ALGO
produced better clinical outcomes of an earlier
onset and/or a greater effect over a 12-month
treatment period.........................
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for full news article
Reduced
brain trapping of a-[11C]methyl-L-tryptophan,
a proxy measure for serotonin synthesis, in
depressed patients
a-[11C]methyl-L-tryptophan
is a synthetic analogue of tryptophan which can
be used with positron emission tomography (PET)
to determine serotonin synthesis in the brain.
The trapping of a-[11C]methyl-L-tryptophan
in different brain areas was compared in 17
medication-free outpatients with major
depression and 17
controls..........................
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for full news article
Increasing
normetanephrine or blocking uptake 2 in the
brain could quicken antidepressant
action
A
parallel has been observed between the gradual
clinical improvement in depressed patients
treated with a TCA and the increase in
O-methylated metabolite of norepinephrine,
normetanephrine in the urine. Based on a
literature review an important role of uptake of
norepinephrine into glia is proposed as a key
step in the action of antidepressant
drugs...................Click
for full news article
Association
of bipolar disorder with altered brain
metabolism
Numerous
techniques have been employed to investigate
biomarkers of to bipolar disorder. A recent
study characterised the chemical composition of
the brain in medication-free bipolar disorder
patients in comparison with healthy controls
using Proton Echo-Planar Spectroscopic Iimaging
(PEPSI)....................... Click
for full news article
Antiapoptotic
effect of the antidepressant tianeptine
Recent
animal and clinical studies suggest a possible
association between depression and impairment of
structural plasticity. The effect of the
antidepressant, tianeptine, on apoptosis in the
hippocampus and temporal cortex of chronically
stressed tree shrews (an animal model of
depression) suggests that its action may reside,
at least in part, in trophic/protective
effects.........................
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for full news article
Prediction
of antidepressant response by left anterior
frontal lobe
Alterations
within the frontal lobes may influence the
course of late onset depression. The present
study evaluated the predictive value of
pretreatment frontal perfusion ratios for the
response to antidepressant therapy in patients
with late-onset
depression..................Click
for full news article
Usefulness
of light therapy in antepartum depression
Depression
during pregnancy is quite common but the use of
antidepressants is controversial and alternative
treatment options are rare. This double-blind
placebo-controlled pilot study investigates the
efficacy of 5 weeks morning bright light
treatment in depressed pregnant women
..................... Click
for full news article
Alteration
of mitochondrial function in the hippocampus of
bipolar disorder patients
Abnormal
mitochondrial energy metabolism has been
demonstrated in the frontal and temporal lobes
of patients suffering from bipolar disorder.
This study examined the expression of 12,558
hippocampal nuclear genes in bipolar depression
compared to healthy controls and schizophrenia
patients....................... Click
for full news
article
Milnacipran
is effective in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS)
associated with
depression
Fibromyalgia
syndrome (FMS) is a frequently occurring chronic
disease of debilitating pain for which no
therapy is currently approved. Antidepressants,
especially tricyclics, however, appear to be
effective. The effecacy of the SNRI,
milnacipran, has been evaluated in a group of
Japanese patients with FMS and co-morbid
depression................Click
for full news article
Pramipexole
in treatment-resistant bipolar depression
Patients
with bipolar disorder runs a high risk of major
depressive episodes. The dopaminergic D2/D3
receptor agonist, pramipexole, has an efficacy
similar to that of fluoxetine in patients with
major depression. A recent study evaluated the
antidepressant action and safety of pramipexole
in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar
depression.......................
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for full news article
Influence
of meditation on melatonin and serotonin
levels
Meditation
probably decreases stress through the
involvement of various neurotransmitters.
Melatonin and its precursor, serotonin,
influence mood, sleep and other factors
implicated in well-being. A recent study
investigated the effect of meditation on
melatonin and serotonin levels in healthy
volunteers..................... Click
for full news article
Induction
of serotonin syndrome by combination of
venlafaxine, mirtazapine and
tramadol
A
recent report of a typical case of serotonin
syndrome resulting from the addition of
tramadol, for the treatment of pain, to the
concurrent use of venlafaxine and mirtazapine
for the treatment of
depression................Click
for full news article
High
risk of depression in women with presenilin-1
mutation
The
effect of the mutations in the presenilin-1
(PS1) gene (enhanced risk of Alzheimer's
disease) on mood (Beck depression inventory) and
cognition (mini-mental state) was examined in 33
Mexican women......................
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for full news article
Response
of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
(SSRI)-resistant depressed patients with
ziprasidone added to SSRI
The
atypical antipsychotic, ziprasidone, a strong
5-HT1A receptor agonist with potent affinity for
the 5-HT1D, 5-HT2, and dopamine D2 receptors was
administered in addition to an SSRI to 20
depressed patients who had failed to respond to
SSRI treatment alone....................
Click
for full news article
Prediction
of postnatal depression by EPDS (Edinburgh
Postnatal Depression
Scale)
There
is a high incidence of postpartum blues among
women who later suffer from postnatal
depression. A study evaluated the capacity of
the EPDS used at 2 or 3 days postpartum to
predict the later development of postnatal
depression................Click
for full news article
Depression
in the elderly often only diagnosed after
suicide attempt
The
suicide rate is particularly high in elderly
people. The pattern of health care contacts
before and after a suicide attempt including the
diagnosis of mental disorders and treatments
were compared in a Finnish study with younger
suicide attempters......................
Click
for full news article
Acute
administration of citalopram increases GABA
levels in the occipital cortex
Levels
of the neurotransmitter, g-aminobutyric
acid (GABA), in the occipital cortex are
decreased in untreated depressed patients and
normalised following repeated electroconvulsive
therapy selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRI) therapy. A recent study tested the effect
of an acute administration of the SSRI,
citalopram, on GABA levels in the occipital
cortex..................... Click
for full news article
Effectiveness
of Internet interventions for treating
depression
A
recent Australian study evaluated the
effectiveness of consultation of two internet
websites, one providing psychoeducation and the
other interactive cognitive behavioural therapy
in comparison with a control (placebo)
intervention in patients with
depression..............Click
for full news article
Brain
imaging effects of cognitive behavior
therapy
Functional
imaging techniques allows the observation of
specific brain changes in patients with major
depression after different antidepressant
treatments. A recent study using
fluorine-18-labeled deoxyglucose positron
emission tomography investigated brain changes
following cognitive behavioral
therapy..................... Click
for full news article
Efficacy
of riluzole in treatment-resistant
depression
The
glutamatergic system appears to be involved in
the pathophysiology and treatment of depression.
A recent study examined the efficacy of
riluzole, a glutamate-modulating agent currently
indicated in the treatment of amyotophic lateral
sclerosis, to treat treatment-resistant
recurrent major depression....................
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for full news article
High
frequency of a CYP2C9 allele in major
depression
The
cytochrome P450 isoenzyme, CYP2C9 is involved in
the metabolism of several psychoactive compounds
including fluoxetine and amitryptyline as well
as the endogenous substrates, adrenaline and
serotonin. The frequency of CYP2C9 alleles among
patients with major depression has recently been
analysed............Click
for full article
Decrease
in cerebral gray matter volume and the duration
of depression
Decreased
hippocampal volume in relation to depression has
already been described. A recent study in
patients with recurrent depression has found a
negative correlation between duration of
depressive illness and the volume of gray matter
in several brain regions....................
Click
for full article
Diagnostic
Inventory for Depression (DID): a new
self-report scale for diagnosing major
depression
A
new self-report scale for the diagnosis of
depression, the Diagnostic Inventory for
Depression (DID), has recently been developed
and validated. The scale proved to be
discriminant for depression and sensitive to
change in symptom severity...................
Click
for full article
Updated
January 2005