ScienceDaily: Depression News

Hormone levels may provide key to understanding psychological disorders in women

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:17:17 EDT

Women at a particular stage in their monthly menstrual cycle may be more vulnerable to some of the psychological side-effects associated with stressful experiences, according to a study from UCL.

Networks of neurons in brain are disrupted in psychiatric disease

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:18:18 EDT

Studying the networks of connections in the brains of people affected by schizophrenia, bipolar disease or depression has allowed researchers to gain a better understanding of the biological basis of these important diseases. They have shown that different networks, found specifically in humans, are disrupted in different psychiatric diseases.

Breakthrough on Huntington's disease

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:29 EDT

Researchers have succeeded in preventing very early symptoms of Huntington’s disease, depression and anxiety, by deactivating the mutated huntingtin protein in the brains of mice.

Depression linked to telomere enzyme, aging, chronic disease

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:45:45 EDT

The first symptoms of major depression may be behavioral, but the common mental illness is based in biology — and not limited to the brain, new research suggests.

Migraine and depression together may be linked with brain size

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT

Older people with a history of migraines and depression may have smaller brain tissue volumes than people with only one or neither of the conditions, according to a new study.

Good marriage can buffer effects of dad's depression on young children

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:05:05 EDT

What effect does a father's depression have on his young son or daughter? When fathers report a high level of emotional intimacy in their marriage, their children benefit, said a new study.

Insomnia may cause dysfunction in emotional brain circuitry

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:12:12 EDT

A new study provides neurobiological evidence for dysfunction in the neural circuitry underlying emotion regulation in people with insomnia, which may have implications for the risk relationship between insomnia and depression.

Antidepressant reduces stress-induced heart condition

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:37:37 EDT

A drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety may improve a stress-related heart condition in people with stable coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

Child maltreatment increases risk of adult obesity

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:57 EDT

Children who have suffered maltreatment are 36 percent more likely to be obese in adulthood compared to non-maltreated children, according to a new study. The authors estimate that the prevention or effective treatment of seven cases of child maltreatment could avoid one case of adult obesity.

Genetic predictors of postpartum depression uncovered

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:52:52 EDT

Researchers say they have discovered specific chemical alterations in two genes that, when present during pregnancy, reliably predict whether a woman will develop postpartum depression.

Anabolic steroids may affect future mental health

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:48:48 EDT

There is a link between use of anabolic-androgenic steroids and reduced mental health later in life. This is the main conclusion of a new study on elite male strength athletes. Twenty per cent of the subjects in the study admitted steroid use.

Ketamine shows significant therapeutic benefit in people with treatment-resistant depression

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Drug associated with rapid antidepressant effect in largest clinical trial to-date.

Depression linked to almost doubled stroke risk in middle-aged women

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT

Depression among women 47-52 years old is associated with an almost doubled risk of stroke. Researchers call for greater awareness of depression as a preventable risk factor for stroke among younger middle-aged women.

Repeat brain injury raises soldiers' suicide risk

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT

Suicide risk is higher among military personnel with more lifetime TBIs, even after controlling for clinical symptom severity. Results of the study show that multiple TBIs, which are common among military personnel, may contribute to increased risk for suicide.

Getting a grip on sleep

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:45:45 EDT

All mammals sleep, as do birds and some insects. However, how this basic function is regulated by the brain remains unclear. According to a new study, a brain region called the lateral habenula plays a central role in the regulation of REM sleep.

Out of sync: Body clocks altered at cell level in depression

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:23:23 EDT

Every cell in our bodies runs on a 24-hour clock, tuned to the night-day, light-dark cycles that have ruled us since the dawn of humanity. But new research shows that the clock may be broken in the brains of people with depression -- even at the level of the gene activity inside their brain cells.

Routine screening for depression not recommended for adults with no apparent symptoms of depression

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

For adults with no apparent symptoms of depression, routine screening is not recommended in primary care settings because of the lack of high-quality evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for depression, according to new evidence-based guidelines.

Serotonin mediates exercise-induced generation of new neurons

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons.

Parental addictions linked to adult children's depression

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

The offspring of parents who were addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely to be depressed in adulthood, according to a new study. Investigators have examined the association between parental addictions and adult depression in a representative sample of 6,268 adults, drawn from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey.

Chronic pain sufferers likely to have anxiety

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Patients coping with chronic pain should also be evaluated for anxiety disorders, according to new research.

Why family conflict affects some children more than others

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:28 EDT

New research reveals why some children are badly affected by negative family conflicts while other children survive without significant problems. Researchers found that the way in which children understood the conflicts between their parents had different effects on their emotional and behavioral problems. Where children blamed themselves for the conflicts between their parents, they were more likely to have behavioral problems, such as anti-social behavior. But if their parents' fighting or arguing led to a child feeling threatened, or fearful that the family would split up, the child was more likely to experience emotional problems, such as depression.

Women with unintended pregnancy are more likely to suffer from postpartum depression

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:58:58 EDT

Women with unintended pregnancy are four times more likely to suffer from postpartum depression at twelve months postpartum, suggests a new study.

Link between intimate partner violence and depression

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:56:56 EDT

Not only are women who have experienced violence from their partner (intimate partner violence) at higher risk of becoming depressed, but women who are depressed may also be at increased risk of experiencing intimate partner violence, according to a new study.

Nerve stimulation for severe depression changes brain function

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:44:44 EDT

For nearly a decade, doctors have used implanted electronic stimulators to treat severe depression in people who don't respond to standard antidepressant treatments. Now, preliminary brain scan studies are revealing that vagus nerve stimulation brings about changes in brain metabolism weeks or even months before patients begin to feel better.

Anti-depressant link to Clostridium difficile infection

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:10:10 EDT

Certain types of anti-depressants have been linked to an increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a new study. Awareness of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI.

Effects of stress on brain cells offer clues to new anti-depressant drugs

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:14:14 EDT

New research reveals the detailed mechanism behind how stress hormones reduce the number of new brain cells -- a process considered to be linked to depression. The researchers identified a key protein responsible for the long-term detrimental effect of stress on cells, and importantly, successfully used a drug compound to block this effect, offering a potential new avenue for drug discovery.

Exercise proves to be ineffective against care home depression

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:17:17 EDT

Researchers have shown that exercise is not effective in reducing burden of depression among elderly care home residents.

Expanding Medicaid: Mental and financial health improve, but no improvement shown in physical health

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:31:31 EDT

New findings from the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment show that Medicaid coverage had no detectable effect on the prevalence of diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, but substantially reduced depression, nearly eliminated catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditures, and increased the diagnosis of diabetes and the use of diabetes medication among low-income adults.

Psychological trauma after miscarriage is more likely in women using assisted reproduction

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:43:43 EDT

Subfertile women who conceive through assisted reproduction are more likely to experience a greater traumatic impact following early pregnancy loss compared with women who conceive naturally, suggests a new study.

Risk of depression influenced by quality of relationships

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

After analyzing data from nearly 5,000 American adults, researchers found that the quality of a person’s relationships with a spouse, family and friends predicted the likelihood of major depression disorder in the future, regardless of how frequently their social interactions took place.

Shedding light on the long shadow of childhood adversity

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:57:57 EDT

Childhood adversity can lead to chronic physical and mental disability in adult life and have an effect on the next generation, underscoring the importance of research, practice and policy in addressing this issue, according to a new article.

Over-diagnosis and over-treatment of depression is common in the U. S.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:57:57 EDT

A new study finds when assessed for major depressive episodes using a structured interview, only 38.4 percent of adults with clinician-identified depression met a 12-month criteria for depression, despite the majority of participants being prescribed and using psychiatric medications.

Antidepressants linked with increased risks after surgery

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:46:46 EDT

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – among the most widely prescribed antidepressant medications – are associated with increased risk of bleeding, transfusion, hospital readmission and death when taken around the time of surgery, according to a new analysis.

Forced exercise may still protect against anxiety and stress

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:02:02 EDT

Being forced to exercise may still help reduce anxiety and depression just as exercising voluntarily does, according to a new study.

Longer days bring 'winter blues' -- for rats, not humans

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:24:24 EDT

Biologists have found that rats experience more anxiety and depression when the days grow longer. More importantly, they discovered that the rat's brain cells adopt a new chemical code when subjected to large changes in the day and night cycle.

Psychological vulnerable older adults are more susceptible to fraud

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Financial exploitation, particularly thefts and scams, are increasing at an alarming rate, particularly in older adults. This study examined this population and their vulnerability for experiencing fraud.

Faith in God positively influences treatment for individuals with psychiatric illness

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:16:16 EDT

Belief in God may significantly improve the outcome of those receiving short-term treatment for psychiatric illness, according to a recent study.

Social stress and the inflamed brain

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:38:38 EDT

Depression is the leading cause of disability with more than 350 million people globally affected by this disease. In addition to debilitating consequences on mental health, depression predisposes an individual to physiological disease such as heart disease, and conversely heart disease increases the risk of depression.

Intranasal neuropeptide Y may offer therapeutic potential for post-traumatic stress disorder

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:38:38 EDT

Stress triggered neuropsychiatric disorders take an enormous personal, social and economic toll on society. In the US more than half of adults are exposed to at least one traumatic event throughout their lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating anxiety disorder associated with exposure to a traumatic event outside the range of normal human experience.

Risk factor for depression can be 'contagious'

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

A new study with college roommates shows that a particular style of thinking that makes people vulnerable to depression can actually "rub off" on others, increasing their symptoms of depression six months later.

Learned helplessness in flies and the roots of depression

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

When faced with impossible circumstances beyond their control, animals, including humans, often hunker down as they develop sleep or eating disorders, ulcers, and other physical manifestations of depression. Now, researchers show that the same kind of thing happens to flies.

Depression: Why life can feel out of control

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:46:46 EDT

People with depression often feel their life is out of control. It can evoke feelings that their life is pointless or by merely existing bad things can happen. Research suggests that these feeling may be caused by subtle changes in the way depressed people perceive time and process their surroundings.

Acute stress primes brain for better cognitive and mental performance

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:45:45 EDT

Chronic stress is known to cause major health problems, yet acute stress can be good for you. A new study shows why. Stress generates new nerve cells in the brain that, two weeks later, help you learn better. Thus, unlike chronic stress, acute stress primes the brain for improved cognitive and mental performance.

Electroconvulsive therapy can restore quality of life for some severely depressed patients

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:49:49 EDT

Patients whose severe depression goes into remission for six months following electroconvulsive therapy report a quality of life similar to that of healthy individuals, researchers say.

Pain improves during first year but mental-health problems linger in returning veterans with major limb injuries

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Few studies document short- and long-term pain and behavioral health in combat-injured service members with major limb trauma. In a 2-year longitudinal study, multiple post-injury pain and related outcomes are reported.

Do drugs for bipolar disorder 'normalize' brain gene function?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:58:58 EDT

Every day, millions of people with bipolar disorder take medicines to stabilize their moods. But just how these drugs work is still a mystery. Now, a new study of brain tissue helps reveal what might actually be happening. And further research using stem cells programmed to act like brain cells is already underway.

Major depression: Great success with pacemaker electrodes, small study suggests

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:59:59 EDT

Researchers implanted pacemaker electrodes into the medial forebrain bundle in the brains of patients suffering from major depression with amazing results: In six out of seven patients, symptoms improved both considerably and rapidly. The method of Deep Brain Stimulation had already been tested on various structures within the brain, but with clearly lesser effect.

Google searches about mental illness follow seasonal patterns

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:12:12 EDT

Google searches for information across all major mental illnesses and problems followed seasonal patterns, suggesting mental illness may be more strongly linked with seasonal patterns than previously thought.

Brain's stress circuits undergo profound learning early in life, scientists find

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:33:33 EDT

Researchers have discovered that stress circuits in the brain undergo profound learning early in life. Using a number of cutting edge approaches, including optogenetics, scientists have shown stress circuits are capable of self-tuning following a single stress. These findings demonstrate that the brain uses stress experience during early life to prepare and optimize for subsequent challenges.

First trial to investigate magic mushrooms as a treatment for depression delayed by UK and EU regulations

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 09:08:08 EDT

The world’s first clinical trial to explore the use of the hallucinogenic ingredient in magic mushrooms to treat depression is being delayed due to the UK and EU rules on the use of illegal drugs in research.

Research identifies co-factors critical to PTSD development

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

New research has found that the action of a specific gene occurring during exposure to adolescent trauma is critical for the development of adult-onset post-traumatic stress disorder.

Men 'more depressed and sad' than women if childless, says study

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:19:19 EDT

Men are almost as likely as women to want children, and they feel more isolated, depressed, angry and sad than women if they don’t have them, a new study says.

Targeting mental defeat among pain patients could prevent anxiety and depression

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:19:19 EDT

A new study of Hong Kong chronic pain patients suggests that targeting feelings of mental defeat could prevent severe depression, anxiety and interference with daily activities.

College athletes twice as likely to have depression than retired collegiate athletes

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:01:01 EDT

A survey of current and former college athletes finds depression levels significantly higher in current athletes, a result that upended the researchers' hypothesis.

Mental illness linked to heavy cannabis use

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

People with mental illnesses are more than seven times more likely to use cannabis weekly compared to people without a mental illness, according to new research.

Common gene variants explain 42% of antidepressant response

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:17:17 EDT

Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for the treatment of depression, but many individuals do not experience symptom relief from treatment. New research found that only approximately one-third of patients responded within their initial medication trial and approximately one-third of patients did not have an adequate clinical response after being treated with several different medications.

People with depression may not reap full benefits of physical activity or light alcohol consumption, study suggests

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:17:17 EDT

Depression may inhibit the anti-inflammatory effects typically associated with physical activity and light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, according to researchers.

Serious mental illness no barrier to weight loss success

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:48:48 EDT

Through a program that teaches simple nutrition messages and involves both counseling and regular exercise classes, people with serious mental illness can make healthy behavioral changes and achieve significant weight loss.

Primary care physicians missing early signs of serious mental illness

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:13:13 EDT

Primary care providers could help people with warning signs of psychosis get critical early treatment and potentially reduce the current burden on emergency departments and inpatient units, finds a new study.

Antidepressants for pregnant moms don't affect infants' growth, study suggests

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:52:52 EDT

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants taken by a woman during pregnancy do not impact her infant's growth over the first year, reports a new study. There had been concern that antidepressants during pregnancy reduced growth the first year. But the new study showed infants born to mothers who took SSRIs had a similar weight, length and head circumference over the first year as infants born to non-depressed women who did not take antidepressants.