Major depressive disorder
hideMajor depressive disorder (also known as clinical depression, major depression, unipolar depression, or unipolar disorder) is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. The term "major depressive disorder" was selected by the American Psychiatric Association to designate this symptom cluster as a mood disorder in the 1980 version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) classification, and has become widely used since. The general term depression is often used to describe the disorder, but as it can also be used to describe other types of psychological depression, more precise terminology is preferred for the disorder in clinical and research use. Major depression is a disabling condition which adversely affects a person's family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In the United States, approximately 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of people who commit suicide have depression or another mood disorder.
The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patient's self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a mental status exam. There is no laboratory test for major depression, although physicians generally request tests for physical conditions that may cause similar symptoms. The most common time of onset is between the ages of 30 and 40 years, with a later peak between 50 and 60 years. Major depression is reported about twice as frequently in women as in men, although men are at higher risk for committing suicide.
Most patients are treated in the community with antidepressant medication and some with psychotherapy or counseling. Hospitalization may be necessary in cases with associated self-neglect or a significant risk of harm to self or others. A minority are treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), under a short-acting general anaesthetic. The course of the disorder varies widely, from one episode lasting months to a lifelong disorder with recurrent major depressive episodes. Depressed individuals have shorter life expectancies than those without depression, in part because of greater susceptibility to medical illnesses. Current and former patients may be stigmatized.
The understanding of the nature and causes of depression has evolved over the centuries, though many aspects of depression remain incompletely understood and are the subject of discussion and research. Psychological, psycho-social, hereditary, evolutionary and biological causes have been proposed. Psychological treatments are based on theories of personality, interpersonal communication, and learning. Most biological theories focus on the monoamine chemicals serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine that are naturally present in the brain and assist communication between nerve cells. Monoamines have been implicated in depression, and most antidepressants work to increase the active levels of at least one.
For more information about Major depressive disorder, read the full article at
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News tagged with major depression
Depressed women can lose weight as successfully as others do
Dec 01, 2009 |
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Women with major depression were no less likely than were women without it to have successful results with a weight loss program, according to an article in the Winter 2009 Behavioral Medicine. Group Health Research Instit ...
Canadian woman loses benefits over Facebook photo
Nov 22, 2009 |
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(AP) -- A Canadian woman on long-term sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits because her insurance agent found photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having fun.
New TMS clinic offers noninvasive treatment for major depression
Nov 05, 2009 |
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Rush University Medical Center has opened the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Clinic to offer patients suffering from major depression a safe, effective, non-drug treatment. TMS therapy is the first FDA-approved, ...
Use of omega-3 with treatment for depression in heart disease patients may not provide benefit
Oct 20, 2009 |
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Contrary to the findings of some studies, new research indicates that augmenting antidepressant therapy with an omega-3 fatty acid supplement does not result in improvement in levels of depression in patients with coronary ...
Depression in older cancer patients can be effectively treated with collaborative approach
Oct 20, 2009 |
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Depression in older cancer patients can be effectively treated with collaborative approach in primary-care settings.
Using Brain Waves to Help Treat Depression
Sep 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers conducted a study at 9 sites in the U.S. with 375 people suffering from major depression. The testing takes about 15 minutes and could help people suffering from depression find ...
Researchers develop biomarker for rapid relief of major depression
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Sep 10, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- It is a long, slow slog to treat major depression. Many antidepressant medications are available, but no single biomarker or diagnostic test exists to predict which one is right for an individual. As a result, ...
More Than a Third of Homeowners in Foreclosure Suffer from Major Depression, Study Shows
Aug 18, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The nation’s home foreclosure epidemic may be taking its toll on Americans' health as well as their wallets. Nearly half of people studied while undergoing foreclosure reported depressive symptoms, and 37 ...
Scientists review deep brain stimulation to treat psychiatric diseases
Jun 29, 2009 |
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Pioneering therapeutic trials to investigate the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in hard-to-treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette's syndrome are underway at multiple medical centers ...
Evidence that cognitive therapy is of no value in schizophrenia
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Jun 26, 2009 |
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Research co-led by an academic at the University of Hertfordshire, concludes that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is of no value in schizophrenia and has limited effect on depression.
Newer Antidepressants Not Always Better
Medicine & Health / Medications
May 06, 2009 |
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Old standby Zoloft? Late-model Lexapro? New antidepressants might be no more effective than the best existing drugs, according to two new systematic reviews that compared 12 commonly used medications.
Meditation provides hope for people with depression
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Apr 21, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- People with severe and recurrent depression could benefit from a new form of therapy that combines ancient forms of meditation with modern cognitive behaviour therapy, early-stage research ...
Can Family Therapy Help The Depressed Patient?
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Apr 07, 2009 |
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A study published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics suggests that single-family and multi-family therapy may benefit hospitalized patients with major depression, and may help the partners of the patients ...
Depression increases risk for heart disease more than genetics or environment
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Mar 04, 2009 |
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A history of major depression increases the risk of heart disease over and above any genetic risks common to depression and heart disease, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis ...
Alcohol abuse may lead to depression risk, rather than vice versa
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Mar 02, 2009 |
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A statistical modeling study suggests that problems with alcohol abuse may lead to an increased risk of depression, as opposed to the reverse model in which individuals with depression self-medicate with alcohol, according ...
