Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life.

Clinical Depression: Diagnosis, Causes & Treatment

Depression is a clinical condition that, contrary to popular opinion, cannot simply be overcome with time and it needs to be treated.

How is Depression in Children Diagnosed?

Situational Depression: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

How Does Your Diet Affect Depression?

Causes of Depression

Food Insecurity and Depression

Depression Diagnosis

Treatment of Depression

Genes and Depression

Prisoner Depression and Low Mood

Treatment Options for Children with Depression

Antidepressants and Weight Changes

See more featured articles »

How Can I Tell if My Child is Depressed?

Intrusive Thoughts and Depression

Depression and Sleep Length

The Science Behind the Winter Blues: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

5 Facts You May Not Know About Depression

Link Between Chronic Illness and Depression

Can Depression and Anxiety Occur Together?

Depression in children

Ghrelin and Depression

Contributing Factors to Post-Adoption Depression

Symptoms of Depression

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

Latest Depression News and Research

Early menopause remains common among women in low and middle income countries

Early menopause affects 1 in 14 women aged 30 to 49 living in low and middle income countries, finds a pooled data analysis of its prevalence in 44 nations published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.

7 Jul 2026

New review shows why antidepressants often fail in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s depression

A Molecular Psychiatry review shows that depression in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease may reflect disease-specific molecular, neurotransmitter, inflammatory, and circuit-level disruptions rather than standard depression biology alone. It argues that broad antidepressants often show limited efficacy in these patients and that future trials should use biomarkers, neuroimaging, and symptom profiling to guide targeted treatments.

7 Jul 2026

Researchers identify brain circuits responsible for triggering OCD symptoms

Most of the time, the origin of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is unknown, but in some rare cases, it starts after a brain injury, such as a stroke or a tumor.

7 Jul 2026

Study offers insight into how long-term inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline

The King's College London study, published in Nature Communications, offers insight into how long-term inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, aging, depression, and the lingering neurological effects of viral infections.

7 Jul 2026

Psychiatry may be moving closer to precision medicine

For decades, treating depression has largely involved a difficult form of medical guesswork: prescribing one antidepressant after another in hopes that one will eventually help.

6 Jul 2026

Rumination carries anxiety into deeper distress for caregivers of dementia patients

A new study from Virginia Tech suggests patterns of repetitive negative thinking explain how anxiety develops into deeper stress for caregivers of people living with dementia, and that mindfulness training may help identify and interrupt that progression.

6 Jul 2026

Lifelong violence against women linked to significantly earlier menopause

The research, published in the journal Maturitas, links trauma experienced to the onset of the menopause up to 20 months earlier and an increase in hot flushes, depression and cardiometabolic health problems.

6 Jul 2026

Reduced sunshine linked to higher demand for mental health care

The study highlights the relationship between weather and mental health care use, suggesting routine weather patterns could forecast service demand effectively.

3 Jul 2026

European project explores how gut microbiome, dietary and lifestyle factors interact with mental health

Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression affect millions of people across Europe and are increasingly recognised as closely linked to diet, nutrition, social inequalities and broader lifestyle factors.

2 Jul 2026

Lung tumors hijack nervous system to drive cancer-related cachexia

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a quarter of cancer deaths can be attributed to one source: cachexia. Cachexia is a syndrome that accompanies underlying chronic illness and causes unwanted muscle and fat loss, reducing quality of life and sometimes even limiting treatment options.

2 Jul 2026

Compulsive smartphone use linked to higher depression risk in older adults

Compulsive smartphone habits in older adults can be linked to a higher risk of depression, according to a study led by a Rutgers researcher.

1 Jul 2026

Depression-like behavior may accelerate endocrine aging in primates

A new review was published in Volume 18 of Aging on June 11, 2026, titled "Age-related dysfunctions of the neuroendocrine axes in nonhuman primates with depression-like and anxious behavior."

1 Jul 2026

Scientists urge caution over psychedelics as ADHD treatment

In recent years, there has been growing interest among adults with ADHD in the practice of microdosing classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD.

1 Jul 2026

Cannabidiol shows preclinical promise for anxiety, depression and cognition

A new meta-analysis suggests that CBD may improve emotional behavior and cognition in animal models, but researchers caution that its clinical benefits still need to be proven in humans.

1 Jul 2026

UC San Diego study reveals genetic causes of rare neuromuscular disorders

Scientists at the University of California San Diego have uncovered how genetic mutations cause a rare group of inherited neuromuscular disorders and identified promising new strategies to correct them, including a potential new use for an existing antidepressant.

1 Jul 2026

Scientists map how chronic stress alters somatostatin levels in the brain

Consider the brake. Not the engine, which gets all the attention, but the brake, the quiet thing that decides how fast a system is allowed to go.

1 Jul 2026

Real-time monitoring shows how daily habits influence cognitive performance in older adults

New research using smartwatches shows that older adults can accurately assess how well they are thinking in the moment. The study finds their self-ratings closely match actual cognitive performance.

1 Jul 2026

Study links semaglutide and tirzepatide to fewer anxiety and depression diagnoses in obesity care

A US electronic health record study found that adults with obesity who started semaglutide or tirzepatide had lower recorded hazards of anxiety and depression than matched patients using naltrexone-bupropion. However, among adults without type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was linked to higher recorded hazards of anxiety and insomnia than semaglutide, underscoring the need for cautious monitoring.

1 Jul 2026

Trial evaluates interdisciplinary care for veterans with brain trauma and PTSD

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is leading a new multi-center clinical trial to evaluate an interdisciplinary rehabilitation model for military veterans and first responders with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

30 Jun 2026

University of Surrey team develops first grief tool for unpaid carers

The first dedicated support tool for unpaid carers who grieve for an older person they care for before they have died is being developed by a team led by the University of Surrey.

30 Jun 2026