Depression News and Research

Latest Depression News and Research

Long-lasting depression more common among blacks and Mexican American

While depression seems much more common among whites than blacks or Mexican Americans, the opposite is true when it comes to a milder mood disorder known as dysthemia.

26 May 2005

Elderly suicide victims more likely to have fallen to their deaths

Suicide is a major public health problem among those age 65 and older, and a recent study found suicidal people in that age group who live in cities are more likely than their younger counterparts to choose falling from height as their suicide method and to choose to jump from their own homes or apartment buildings.

26 May 2005

Increase in heart surgery mortality from SSRIs or depression?

Duke University Medical Center researchers have found that patients who were using a class of anti-depression drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) prior to undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery have significantly higher death and rehospitalization rates up to five years after the procedure than patients who were not on SSRIs.

26 May 2005

Mothers ability to mind read important in child's development

For a mother, being able to 'read' her baby's emotions or state of mind can be more important for the child's development than who she is and what she has, according to important new research sponsored by the ESRC.

26 May 2005

Brain fatty acid levels linked to depression

A group of researchers from Israel has discovered that rats exhibiting the signs of depression have increased levels of the omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid, in their brains. The details of their findings appear in the June issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, an American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology journal.

25 May 2005

State of "incomplete" health has resulted in a loss of productivity in the workforce

While most American adults may not be patently sick, a vast majority of them still lack full health and vitality. This state of "incomplete" health has resulted in a loss of productivity in the workforce, and potentially increases health care costs in the long term, according to a new Emory University study published in the May issue of the Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health.

25 May 2005

Newly developed treatment for severe grief shown more effective than standard therapy

A recently developed method for treating complicated grief, which includes discussing certain aspects of the death of a loved one, was found more effective than a standard therapy for depression, according to a study in the June 1 issue of JAMA.

25 May 2005

Patients disfigured in traumatic incidents may experience significant social and behavioral problems

Patients disfigured in traumatic incidents are much more likely to suffer post traumatic stress disorder, unemployment, marital problems, binge drinking and depression, according to a study by Yale School of Medicine researchers.

25 May 2005

Patients approaching the end of life can significantly reduce their depression symptoms and improve their sense of spiritual well-being

"Patients with serious medical conditions frequently suffer psychological, relational, and spiritual distress that is being inadequately addressed by modern health care," writes first author Douglas Miller, M.D., Indiana University School of Medicine professor of medicine, Regenstrief Institute, Inc. research scientist, and associate director of the IU Center for Aging Research.

25 May 2005

ADHD costs U.S. nearly $77 billion each year

U.S. household income losses due to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) total nearly $77 billion each year, according to a new analysis of the national large-scale survey, "Capturing America's Attention," presented today at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting in Atlanta.

23 May 2005

Study tackles aging issues of adults with developmental disabilities

Some 4.5 million Americans have a developmental disability. As people live longer, adults with developmental disabilities are no exception, yet their conditions also bring aging-related challenges. A new study by UCLA and Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation reports that a geriatric evaluation and follow-up visits by a nurse practitioner can detect and reduce health problems in this population that often go unaddressed by the healthcare system.

23 May 2005

Mental health literacy in rural areas could reduce homophobia-linked suicides

With male suicide rates in rural areas of Australia seven times higher than in metropolitan areas, a researcher is exploring the issue of compromised mental health associated with bullying.

23 May 2005

Investigational device-based therapies will lead to entirely new treatment options for chronic depression sufferers

Researchers said that developing brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), vagal nerve stimulation and deep brain stimulation are emerging as significant treatment options for the millions of patients "poorly served" by existing therapies.

23 May 2005

People with chronic cough are often depressed

More than half of people with chronic cough-a nagging cough that can last for months or even years-suffer from depressive symptoms, according to a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 23.

22 May 2005

Prescription drug affordability woes grow for Americans

More Americans—especially those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and depression-are going without prescription drugs because of cost concerns, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC).

18 May 2005

Testosterone appears to benefit, not harm, cardiovascular health of middle-aged men

Although men suffer more coronary heart disease than women, the blame should not be placed on testosterone, according to a new study in the May 17, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

18 May 2005

St. John's Wort only minimally effective in relieving major depression

St. John’s Wort, the herbal medicinal long thought to relieve symptoms of depression, provides only minor benefits in patients with the most acute depression and perhaps no benefit for those with chronic depression.

16 May 2005

Acne drug not linked to increased suicide risk

A recent study has found that the popular acne-fighting drug Accutane, which has been linked to birth defects, did not cause depression in a group of adolescents.

16 May 2005

Changes in certain brain receptors can affect seizures and anxiety during the menstrual cycle

A new UCLA study shows that changes in certain brain receptors can affect seizures and anxiety during the menstrual cycle--findings that could lead to novel therapies for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD, formerly known as PMS) and other central nervous system symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle.

16 May 2005

Women more vulnerable to chronic drinking than men are

A study in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research addresses this gap in research, using computed tomography (CT) to examine brain atrophy in the brains of alcoholic men and women. The findings support and build upon a prior hypothesis that women develop alcohol-related brain damage more readily than men.

16 May 2005