Publications - Depression

MRI Shows How Facial Expressions Can Help Diagnose Bipolar or Depression, by Rick Nauert, PhD, Psych Central, Sep 5 2018.

“Brain imaging technology that traces the way neurons react when a person processes facial expressions such as anger, fear, sadness, disgust and happiness can help determine if a person has bipolar disorder or depression...In people with bipolar disorder, the left side of the amygdala is less active and less connected with other parts of the brain than in people with depression. Lead researcher Dr. Mayuresh Korgaonkar from the University of Sydney believes these differences could potentially be used in the future to differentiate bipolar disorder from depressive disorders. ”

Maternal depression can impact baby's physical and mental health, by Linda Carroll, Reuters, Aug 24 2018.

“Children with depressed mothers may end up with altered immune responses and at greater risk for psychological disorders, a new study suggests. Maternal depression may have a significant effect on the way children’s brains work, the researchers write in the journal Depression & Anxiety...Feldman and her colleagues determined that depressed moms had higher levels of cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin. Moreover, the depressed moms also displayed more negative parenting. 'Depressed mothers are less engaged, less empathetic,' Feldman said. They 'show more negative and inconsistent (mood). They are more critical and hostile and are less sensitive to the child’s non-verbal and verbal social communication.' ”

When Meds Barely Dent Depression, Nerve Stimulation May Help, by Rick Nauert, PhD, Psych Central, Aug 23 2018.

“A new national study finds that for people whose depression is resistant to drug therapy, nerve stimulation can meaningfully improve their quality of life. Although the nerve stimulation may not completely abate all of the symptoms of depression, significant improvements in mood, ability to work, social relationships, family relationships and leisure activities were cited...Conway believes an improved ability to concentrate may be key to the benefits some patients get from stimulation. 'It improves alertness, and that can reduce anxiety,' he said. 'And when a person feels more alert and more energetic and has a better capacity to carry out a daily routine, anxiety and depression levels decline.' ”

Treating Teen Depression Might Improve Mental Health Of Parents, Too, by Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, Aug 12 2018.

“An estimated 12.8 percent of adolescents in the U.S. experience at least one episode of major depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. According to previous studies, many of those teens' mental health is linked to depression in their parents. But new research suggests there's a flipside to that parental effect: When teens are treated for depression, their parents' mental health improves, too...When a parent sees their child struggle, it might affect their mood; when the child feels better, their spirits lift as well. Improvement in the child's mental health might also improve communication between parent and child, which might also help improve the parents' depression. The findings may help health care providers deal with the high rates of depression and suicidal thoughts among teenagers, notes Howard. ”

Psychedelic Drugs Show Promise for Treating Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Aug 10 2018.

“New findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that psychedelic drugs may be effective at treating a variety of psychological disorders, including depression, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and could one day be prescribed to patients...'Combined with psychotherapy, some psychedelic drugs like MDMA, psilocybin and ayahuasca may improve symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,' said Cristina L. Magalhaes, PhD, of Alliant International University Los Angeles, and co-chair of a symposium on psychedelics and psychotherapy. ”

Neural Link Between Depression and Bad Sleep Identified, University of Warwick., Jul 25 2018.

“Summary: Researchers have identified a neural link between depression and sleep problems. The study reports brain regions associated with short term memory, self and negative emotions are strongly connected in those with depression, and this may lead to bad sleep quality. Source: University of Warwick. The neural link between depression and sleep problems has been identified for the first time in a new study by researchers at the University of Warwick (UK) and Fudan University (China). Professor Jianfeng Feng and Professor Edmund Rolls from Warwick’s Department of Computer Science, with Dr. Wei Cheng from Fudan University, found functional connectivity between the areas of the brain associated with short-term memory, self, and negative emotions – causing sufferers to dwell on bad thoughts and leading to a poor quality of sleep. This research could lead to better sleep quality for people with depression, and opens up the possibility of new targeted treatments. Analysing data from around 10,000 people, the researchers examined the neural mechanisms underlying the relation between depression and quality of sleep. In the brains of those living with depressive problems, they discovered a strong connection between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (associated with short-term memory), the precuneus (associated with the self) and the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (associated with negative emotion).   The analysis showed that these functional connectivities underlie the relation between depressive problems and sleep quality. The researchers conclude that increased functional connectivity between these brain regions provides a neural basis for how depression is related to poor sleep quality. Professor Jianfeng Feng, from the University of Warwick’s Department of Computer Science, said: “The understanding that we develop here is consistent with areas of the brain involved in short-term memory (the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), the self (precuneus), and negative emotion (the lateral orbitofrontal cortex) being highly connected in depression, and that this results in increased ruminating thoughts which are at least part of the mechanism that impairs sleep quality.” Professor Edmund Rolls also commented: “This study may also have implications for a deeper understanding of depression. This important cross-validation with participants from the USA provides support for the theory that the lateral orbitofrontal cortex is a key brain area that might be targeted in the search for treatments for depression.” Professor Jianfeng Feng comments that these findings could have important public health implications, as both sleep problems and depression affect a large number of people. He commented: “In today’s world, poor sleep and sleep deprivation have become common problem affecting more than a third of the world’s population due to the longer work hours and commuting times, later night activity, and increased dependency on electronics. The disorder of insomnia has become the second most prevalent mental disorder.” “And major depressive disorder is also ranked by the World Health Organization as the leading cause of years-of-life lived with disability. According to a recent statistic, it affects approximately 216 million people (3% of the world’s population). So almost everyone in the world is related to these two problems, as a sufferer or a relative of a sufferer.” Professor Jianfeng Feng further commented: “The relation between depression and sleep has been observed more than one hundred years, and now we have identified the neural mechanisms of how they are connected for the first time. These findings provide a neural basis for understanding how depression relates to poor sleep quality, and this in turn has implications for treatment of depression and improvement of sleep quality because of the brain areas identified.”   Depression and sleep problems often go hand-in-hand. About 75% of depressed patients report significant levels of sleep disturbance, such as difficulty of falling asleep and short duration of sleep (insomnia). People with insomnia also have a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety than those who sleep normally. ”

New dads need depression screening, too, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Jul 23 2018.

“Fathers of young children may be almost as likely as new mothers to experience symptoms of depression, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined results from depression screenings done for parents during more than 9,500 visits to pediatrics clinics with their children. Overall, 4.4 percent of fathers and five percent of mothers screened positive for depression...Because parental depression can have lasting physical and mental health affects for young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all parents - both mothers and fathers - get screened for depression during well-baby and well-child checkups. ”

New Algorithm Can Predict Response to Antidepressants, by Rick Nauert, PhD, Psych Central, Jul 19 2018.

“Researchers have developed a statistical algorithm that identifies patients who may best respond to antidepressants — before they begin treatment...Webb and his colleagues developed an algorithm predicting that approximately one-third of individuals would derive a meaningful therapeutic benefit from antidepressant medications relative to placebo. In the study, participants were randomly assigned to a common antidepressant medication or a placebo pill...'These results bring us closer to identifying groups of patients very likely to benefit preferentially from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and could realize the goal of personalizing antidepressant treatment selection,' added UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Madhukar Trivedi, M.D., coordinating principal investigator for the EMBARC study. ”

More women may be experiencing depression during pregnancy, by Linda Carroll, Reuters, Jul 13 2018.

“Today’s moms-to-be are more likely than women from their mothers’ generation to become depressed while pregnant, a study suggests...'Our data suggest that the symptoms driving the increase in total scores were those related to feeling overwhelmed and stress and anxiety rather than feelings of being down and unmotivated,' Pearson said. 'This supports theories that it is potentially a consequence of the fast-paced modern world.' ”

Being Fit in Middle Age May Protect Against Depression, by Alice Park, TIME, Jun 27 2018.

“About 16 million adults in the U.S., and 350 million people around the world, have depression, a major source of physical and mental disability...Now, in a large study published in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers say...being physically fit can lower the risk of developing depression, and can also lower the risk of developing heart disease and dying early...exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medications or psychotherapy in treating depressive symptoms...encourage more doctors to consider exercise as another potential treatment, alongside medications and psychotherapy, for helping people with depression. ”

Depression may be more severe in elderly people, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Jun 27 2018.

“Elderly people with major depressive disorder may be more likely to suffer severe and persistent symptoms than younger adults with the same mental health diagnosis, a Dutch study suggests...Compared to participants ages 18 to 29, people aged 70 and older were two to three times more likely to still have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder after two years, and to have had symptoms during most of that period, the study found. Elderly people also took longer to achieve remission or to experience improvements in the severity of their depression. ”

One in 3 Americans Takes Meds That May Cause Depression, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Jun 14 2018.

“More than one in three Americans may be taking prescription medications that can lead to depression or increase the risk of suicide, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). And since many of these medications are common and not associated with depression — such as hormonal birth control medications, blood pressure and heart medications, proton pump inhibitors, antacids and painkillers — patients and clinicians may be unaware of the risks...'Many may be surprised to learn that their medications, despite having nothing to do with mood or anxiety or any other condition normally associated with depression, can increase their risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, and may lead to a depression diagnosis.' ”

Rise in U.S. suicides highlights need for new depression drugs, by Julie Steenhuysen, Reuters, Jun 8 2018.

“A spike in suicide rates in the United States has cast fresh light on the need for more effective treatments for major depression, with researchers saying it is a tricky development area that has largely been abandoned by big pharmaceutical companies...With the availability of numerous cheap generic antidepressants, many of which offer only marginal benefit, developing medicines for depression is a tough sell...J&J is the only large pharmaceutical company making a major investment in a new antidepressant, Tracy said...Dr. Julie Goldstein Grumet, a behavioral health expert from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, said 122 people in the United States took their lives by suicide each day last week. Many were never even diagnosed with a mental illness. 'We’re missing opportunities to screen people for the risk of suicide,' she said. ”

Battling Depression And Suicide Among Female Veterans, by Jay Price, NPR, May 29 2018.

“The suicide rate for female veterans has soared 85 percent in recent years, leading the military, VA and advocacy groups to try new ways to improve women's mental health care during and after service. One key focus: how to tailor the sometimes tricky jump from the military to the civilian world. Women's experiences in the military are different from men's, so their transition needs to be different, too, said retired Army Col. Ellen Haring, director of research for the advocacy group Service Women's Action Network (SWAN). "The experiences you have on active duty carry with you, and then they manifest as mental wellness challenges as veterans," she said. "When you're transitioning out of the service, or when you return from a combat deployment to come back to a stateside demobilization and try to return to family or community, that's a challenging period." When that transition doesn't go well, the cost can be terrible. Female veterans are nearly 250 percent more likely to kill themselves than civilian women. ”

Pediatricians urged to warn vulnerable kids away from '13 Reasons Why' Netflix series, by Anne Harding, Reuters, May 18 2018.

“Mental health professionals have raised alarms that the series - which closes with a graphic depiction of the main character killing herself - could push other young people toward suicide...In an article titled, “13 Things Pediatricians Should Know (and do) About 13 Reasons Why,” Dr. Michael B. Pitt and colleagues of the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis encourage doctors to warn vulnerable young patients - and their parents - away from the show...In reviewing records at their own health system, the authors identified more than 60 documented references to the show by 31 pediatric patients treated in the six months after “13 Reasons” first aired. Three-quarters of the patients were receiving treatment related to a suicide attempt, and more than half of the children’s parents said they feared the show had made their child’s mental health symptoms worse. The authors urge pediatricians to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new guidelines calling for universal depression screening for patients aged 12 and older, and to ask their patients about their media consumption. ”