Major Depressive Disorder

Chronobiology-the science of daily (circadian), monthly, tidal, and seasonal rhythms-has undergone exponential growth in the past decade, with major discoveries at the molecular and neuroanatomic level.

The “story behind the story” is not the over-prescription of antidepressants-though it happens-but the under-availability of optimal treatment.

A brief review of interesting new findings on suicidality and depression treatment in youths.

A mother recalls seeing a donation box with a photo of a little boy with leukemia in a grocery store checkout line but never one of a child with serious mental illness. How can this be if twice as many children and young people die from suicide than those who die of all cancers combined? More in this commentary.

Given the greater frequency of depression than manic episodes in bipolar disorder, what clues indicate bipolar disorder rather than unipolar depression?

Minorities remain less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for their mental illness and more likely to die by suicide. As ethnocultural diversity within the US grows, psychiatrists are increasingly evaluating attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of a broad spectrum of ethnocultural groups.

Most patients with psychiatric diagnoses present with sleep disturbances that can have as great an impact on health-related quality of life as the mental illness itself. Here are tips on treatment and chronotherapeutic applications for major depression and other disorders.

An update on the diagnosis, causation, and treatment of chronic depressive problems. The focus is on the recently introduced diagnostic category of persistent depressive disorder.

Most, if not all, antidepressants can cause bothersome adverse effects. These are described here along with strategies to help patients cope.

Epidemiological research has shown that the Māori people of New Zealand are approximately twice as likely to have serious psychiatric illness compared with non-Māori. Here, a child and adolescent psychiatrist describes her work in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The authors emphasize the importance of risk and protective factors and risk prediction models; analyze the growing evidence base for preventive interventions; and describe the concept of mental health promotion.

With over 2 dozen FDA-approved antidepressants on the market, it is reasonable to ask: which antidepressants are most effective?

What treatments are effective for mild chronic depression in older patients? Are there novel antidepressant medications with fewer adverse effects than current treatments? In this podcast, experts report on the latest updates in the evaluation and treatment of depression in older adults.

Evidence has accumulated on the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation in major depression. The authors review its potential mechanism of action, findings from recent clinical trials, and potential role in the treatment of depressive disorders.

The removal of the so-called “bereavement exclusion” (BE) from DSM-5 was one of the most difficult and controversial decisions the DSM-5 work groups made, and many clinicians continue to find the distinction between ordinary grief and major depression confusing.

What are the psychological and physiological effects of persistent loneliness? How prevalent in the US? What role can cognitive behavioral therapy play for persistently lonely people? In this podcast, an expert offers a brief overview of this underappreciated, but often overlooked, problem.

In this podcast, B. Andrew Farah, MD, looks at shortcomings of current therapy that make treatment-resistant depression so common, offers insights into the genetic underpinnings of TRD, and focuses on a new treatment paradigm.

In this podcast, Dr Eric Plakun give an overview of key points and psychodynamic principles on treatment-resistent mood disorders, based on research and clinical experience.

"Depression is overwhelming and overpowering, and it crushes its prey." Here: a pediatrician tells of her 40-year battle with severe depression, and offers insights about how to talk with someone who is depressed.

For some patients with Parkinson disease, the neuropsychiatric complications are a greater source of morbidity than the motor dysfunction. This article focuses on the management of psychosis in Parkinson disease.

The high rate of recurrence of depressive symptoms and ongoing psychosocial challenges point to the need for a longer-term view of the management of adolescents with depressive disorders.

Vitamin D has been hailed as the “sunshine” vitamin with many therapeutic attributes. The authors explore the association between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of depression.

Depression is a frequent psychiatric comorbidity among patients with restless leg syndrome. The case presented here illustrates the importance of evaluating for RLS symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder who complain of insomnia.

A reexamination of flurothyl infusions holds promise for improved resolution of severe mood disorders, as well as for a greater understanding of the mechanism of their pathophysiology.