Major Depressive Disorder News and Research

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Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by depressed mood or anhedonia (significant loss of interest or pleasure). The condition affects more than 15.7 million adults and approximately 3 million adolescents (aged 13 to 17 years) in the USA each year.

Study reveals the prevalence of suicide ideation, attempts among people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder

A new global study published in BMC Psychiatry reports that 34% of people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder have attempted suicide.

13 Jun 2022

Combining psychotherapy with antidepressants does not improve outcomes in severely depressed patients

Antidepressants are the first-choice treatment for severe depression. Antidepressant use is often supplemented by psychotherapy.

6 Jun 2022

Treating pediatric psychiatric disorders with psychotropic drugs reduces later substance use disorder risk

One half of psychiatric and substance use disorders start by the age of 18; three-quarters by age 24. While these are concerning statistics, a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital finds that treating psychiatric disorders with psychotropic medications in children and adolescents does not increase the risk of developing substance use, misuse, or substance use disorder (SUD).

19 May 2022

New mouse model shows the connection between stress, depression and cardiovascular disease risk

Results from a new mouse model may aid in understanding how depression and prolonged and severe stress increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Vascular Discovery: From Genes to Medicine Scientific Sessions 2022.

13 May 2022

Healthy Mediterranean diet helps young men to beat depression

Depression is a common mental health condition that affects approximately 1 million Australians each year. It is a significant risk factor for suicide, the leading cause of death in young adults.

9 May 2022

Researchers show how chronic pain leads to maladaptive anxiety in mice

Hokkaido University researchers have shown how chronic pain leads to maladaptive anxiety in mice, with implications for treatment of chronic pain-related psychiatric disorders in humans.

27 Apr 2022

The effect of antidepressants on patient-reported health-related quality of life

A new study published in PLoS ONE aimed to investigate the effect of using antidepressant medications on the HRQoL of patients with depression.

27 Apr 2022

Talking therapies could be effective for treating depression in people with dementia

Feelings of anxiety and depression are common in people living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, but the best way to treat these symptoms is currently unknown, as medicines often used to treat these symptoms may not be effective for people with dementia and may cause side effects.

26 Apr 2022

New research provides a scientific framework to allow the use of psilocybin for therapeutic reasons

A new paper by an Oregon State University-led research team provides a scientific framework to help shape the rollout of a program in Oregon that will legally permit the use of psilocybin for therapeutic reasons.

11 Apr 2022

Magic mushroom compound helps to 'open up' depressed people's brains after use

Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, helps to "open up" depressed people's brains, even after use, enabling brain regions to talk more freely to one another.

11 Apr 2022

Is there a relationship between air pollution and depressive symptoms in adolescents?

In this interview, we speak to Erika Manczak, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver, about her latest research into the link between air pollution and depressive symptoms in adolescents.

1 Apr 2022

Study shows clinical value of pharmacogenomic testing for patients with treatment-resistant depression

Pharmacogenetic testing was associated with nearly a two-fold (89 per cent) increase in remission rates compared to treatment as usual in a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health- (CAMH-)led clinical study just published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

29 Mar 2022

Depression occurs independently of inflammation for many older people, study suggests

Multiple prior studies have found higher levels of inflammation in older individuals with depression. Now, a new Penn Medicine study has found that clinically depressed older individuals, on average, don't have elevated levels of inflammation if they don't already have other inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

28 Mar 2022

Two doses of psilocybin may ease depression symptoms for up to 12 months

Previous studies by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers showed that psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieved major depressive disorder symptoms in adults for up to a month.

15 Feb 2022

Treatment rates for major depressive disorder remain low worldwide, analysis reveals

A combined analysis of results from 149 earlier studies finds that treatment rates for major depressive disorder remain low worldwide, particularly for people living in low and lower-middle income countries.

15 Feb 2022

Researchers use embryonic stem cell model to study genetic architecture in the hypothalamus

A study led by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has implicated several genes involved in a variety of bodily functions associated with the hypothalamus, a notoriously difficult-to-study region of the brain.

21 Nov 2021

Scientists unravel near-atomic-scale structure of depression-linked brain receptor

Scientists at Scripps Research, Florida have determined the near-atomic-scale structure of an unusual brain-cell receptor called GPR158, which has been linked to depression and anxiety.

20 Nov 2021

One in four adults with ADHD found to have generalized anxiety disorder

A new nationally representative study published online in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that one in four adults aged 20-39 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

18 Nov 2021

Magnus Medical receives FDA's Breakthrough Device Designation for rapid-acting technology to treat major depression

Magnus Medical, Inc., a medical device company, today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company Breakthrough Device Designation for its individualized, rapid-acting, non-invasive neurostimulation technology designed to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in people who have not improved sufficiently from antidepressant medication or other treatments.

29 Oct 2021

Study investigates whether continued magnetic seizure therapy can prevent relapse of depression

Treatment-resistant depression or TRD is exactly what it sounds like: a form of mental illness that defies effective therapy. It is not rare, with an estimated 3 million persons in the United States suffering from TRD.

20 Oct 2021