scholarly journals Neurobiological mechanisms of depressive disorders and their pharmacotherapy

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yekaterina Yevgenyevna Yakovleva ◽  
Lyudmila Konstantinovna Khnychenko ◽  
Nikolay Andreyevich Losev
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Biochemical Changes ◽  
Cholinergic Drugs ◽  
Treatment Of Depression

The neurobiological mechanisms of depressive disorders, concerning the role of biochemical changes in cholinergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, and other neurohumoral systems in the development of depression are reviewed. The modern approaches to pharmacotherapy of depressive disorders, with special accent on cholinergic drugs usage for treatment of depression are discussed in details.

Self-Directed Approaches to the Treatment of Depression

2016 ◽  
pp. 468-477
Author(s):  
Pim Cuijpers ◽  
Annet Kleiboer
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments ◽  
The Common

This article examines self-directed approaches to the treatment of depression. It first considers some of the reasons why the uptake of mental health services by depressed people is low, despite the high prevalence of depressive disorders and the availability of evidence-based treatments. It then looks at the role of self-management in increasing access to evidence-based treatments for depression. It also defines what self-directed treatments are and goes on to discuss the different types of self-directed therapy, the common components of self-directed interventions for depression, Internet-based interventions for depression, and the advantages and disadvantages of self-directed interventions. Finally, it summarizes the findings from research on self-directed interventions for depression and suggests directions for future research and development in this area. Some titles of self-help books that can be used in self-directed interventions are presented.

scholarly journals Assessing the Evidence of Micronutrients on Depression among Children and Adolescents: An Evidence Gap Map

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 908-927
Author(s):  
Susan C Campisi ◽  
Clare Zasowski ◽  
Shailja Shah ◽  
Ashka Shah ◽  
Glyneva Bradley-Ridout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Unipolar Depression ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Comprehensive Search ◽  
Major Depressive Disorders ◽  
Severity Of Depression ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT There is some evidence indicating that nutrition may have the ability to prevent, treat, and/or influence the severity of depression. The aims of this evidence gap map (EGM) are to provide an overview and to determine evidence gaps in the existing research on micronutrients and their impact on depression among children and adolescents. We conducted a comprehensive search in multiple databases of primary and secondary literature assessing the impact of micronutrients on depression-related outcomes such as unipolar depression, major depressive disorders, dysthymia, acute depression, and mood disorders. Abstracts and full-text articles were dual-screened based on predefined eligibility criteria. A total of 30 primary research publications were included in the EGM. About 47% of included studies focused on late adolescents (15–19 y), ∼40% on early adolescents (10–14 y), and ∼13% on children aged 6–9 y. Among the included studies, 8 studies examined a single micronutrient intervention and 22 studies examined micronutrient concentrations (either intake or serum), and their impact on depression. The most frequently studied micronutrients were vitamin D (n = 8), zinc (n = 8), iron (n = 6), folate (n = 7), and vitamin B-12 (n = 5). More longitudinal studies and trials are needed to determine the role of micronutrients in the etiology and treatment of depression among children and adolescents.

scholarly journals The Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Mediating the Action of Antidepressants in the Treatment of Depression

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara I. Vazagaeva ◽  
Roman V. Akhapkin ◽  
Yuri A. Alexandrovsky
Keyword(s):  
Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Therapeutic Response ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Trkb Receptor ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Antidepressant Efficacy ◽  
Chronic Course

According to the neurotrophic hypothesis of depression proposed two decades ago, the most important role in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders is played by abnormalities in the maintenance of neuronal plasticity regulated by brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Although the decline in BDNF activity in depression is now widely documented, it remains unclear whether it is a factor contributing to the onset of depression, or a consequence of the chronic course of the disease. In preclinical studies, it was found that exogenous BDNF infusions causes antidepressant-like effects, prevents the depressogenic effects of chronic stress and increases cell survival in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, but the mechanisms mediating these effects have not been fully studied. The results of molecular genetic studies confirmed that BDNF is essential in mediating the therapeutic effect of antidepressants, while the role of genetic polymorphisms in predicting antidepressant efficacy in depression remains uncertain. The mechanisms of action of monoaminergic antidepressants are related to their effect on the expression of BDNF and its TrkB receptor, however, apparently, the effect size varies for different drugs. Peripheral BDNF levels increase during treatment with antidepressants, and this increase is clearly observed only during the acute phase treatment of depression, but not during the period of maintenance therapy. The serum level of BDNF is a potentially useful marker for diagnosing depression and prediction of a therapeutic response.

scholarly journals The NMDA receptor and new possibilities in antidepressant therapy

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 788-794
Author(s):  
Weronika Stasiuk ◽  
Monika Prendecka ◽  
Krzysztof Chara ◽  
Teresa Małecka-Massalska
Keyword(s):  
Nmda Receptor ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Antidepressant Effect ◽  
Antidepressant Medications ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Potential Alternative ◽  
Disorder Treatment

Due to the inadequate effectiveness of pharmacological methods currently being utilized in the treatment of depression, there is an ongoing need to find newer and safer treatment strategies. Studies undertaken to date aimed at finding more effective methods for the treatment of affective disorders have been widened to incorporate other neurotransmission systems. Experiments with compounds that modify the function of the glutamatergic system highlight a new direction in the study of affective disorder treatment methods. It has been shown that one of the key mechanisms in achieving an antidepressant effect is by weakening the function of the NMDA receptor. Pre-clinical as well as clinical trials have revealed that compounds that modulate the activity of the NMDA receptor are characterized by a significant antidepressant effect which identifies them as potential antidepressant medications. In this study an attempt was made at identifying the role of the NMDA receptor in the pathogenesis and therapy of depressive disorders as well as the influence of ligands (especially antagonist) of this receptor on the function of classical antidepressant medications. Results shown in the attached studies by numerous scientists will in the future potentially add to the development of more effective and safer therapies for patients with affective disorders as well as offering a potential alternative in the treatment of drug resistant forms of depression.

scholarly journals Survival in hemodialysis patients: the role of depression.

1993 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
P L Kimmel ◽  
K Weihs ◽  
R A Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
Hemodialysis Patients ◽  
Independent Factor ◽  
Immunologic Function ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Predicting Outcome ◽  
Effect Of Treatment ◽  
Esrd Patients

Depression has been identified at the most prevalent psychologic problem in patients with ESRD treated with hemodialysis (HD). Depression has been associated with mortality in HD patients; however, the similarity of the symptoms of depressive disorders to those of uremia and the difficulties in measuring depression and dissociating psychologic from physical aspects of depression in such patients render these studies difficult to evaluate. Conflicting data regarding the effects of depression on survival in HD patients may be the result of using somatic symptoms in quantifying the extent of depression. In this review, studies regarding the diagnosis of depression in HD patients, the association of depression and survival in HD patients in light of recent work on factors related to the morbidity and mortality in the ESRD population, and aspects of therapy for depression in HD patients are considered. Specifically, depression may affect immunologic function, nutrition, and compliance factors that may affect the prescription and delivery of dialysis, which may, in turn, influence outcome. Alternatively, depression may be an independent factor in influencing survival. Cognitive depression measures may be more useful in predicting outcome in HD patients than standard measures used in nonmedically ill populations. Although there are few studies of the effect of treatment of depression on outcome in HD patients, it is reasonable to hypothesize that treatment of depressive disorders in HD patients might effect outcome. Further studies on the association of depression and its treatment and mortality in ESRD patients are warranted.

Depression in Dementia Syndromes

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. Brommelhoff
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
Cerebrovascular Risk ◽  
Cognitively Intact

Depressive symptoms are common in many dementia syndromes, and depressive disorders are much more common in older adults with dementia than in cognitively intact older adults. Depression may be a risk factor for, or a prodromal feature of, subsequent dementia. Several neuropathological mechanisms have been suggested to explain these relationships, including the role of underlying cerebrovascular risk factors for depression and cognitive impairment. Depression also may be present in dementia as an emotional reaction to cognitive decline, or as a recurrence of early and midlife depression. Differential diagnosis between depression and dementia is essential, but complicated by problems in assessment, overlapping symptoms between the two conditions, and other medical co-morbidities. Pharmacological treatment of depression in dementia may also be complicated by medical co-morbidity, and can run the risk for adverse reactions or interactions between medications. Psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions, however, hold some promise for effective reduction of depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals The Role of HPA Axis and Allopregnanolone on the Neurobiology of Major Depressive Disorders and PTSD

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5495
Author(s):  
Felipe Borges Almeida ◽  
Graziano Pinna ◽  
Helena Maria Tannhauser Barros
Keyword(s):  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Physiological Adaptations ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Major Depressive Disorders ◽  
Cortisol Release

Under stressful conditions, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis acts to promote transitory physiological adaptations that are often resolved after the stressful stimulus is no longer present. In addition to corticosteroids (e.g., cortisol), the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (3α,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone, 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one) participates in negative feedback mechanisms that restore homeostasis. Chronic, repeated exposure to stress impairs the responsivity of the HPA axis and dampens allopregnanolone levels, participating in the etiopathology of psychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MDD and PTSD patients present abnormalities in the HPA axis regulation, such as altered cortisol levels or failure to suppress cortisol release in the dexamethasone suppression test. Herein, we review the neurophysiological role of allopregnanolone both as a potent and positive GABAergic neuromodulator but also in its capacity of inhibiting the HPA axis. The allopregnanolone function in the mechanisms that recapitulate stress-induced pathophysiology, including MDD and PTSD, and its potential as both a treatment target and as a biomarker for these disorders is discussed.

The epidemiology of psychiatrist-ascertained depression and DSM-III depressive disorders Results from the Eastern Baltimore Mental Health Survey Clinical

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 629-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Romanoski ◽  
M. F. Folstein ◽  
G. Nestadt ◽  
R. Chahal ◽  
A. Merchant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression ◽  
Adverse Life Events ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Symptom Profiles ◽  
Examination Method ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
History Of

SynopsisPsychiatrists used a semi-structured Standardized Psychiatric Examination method to examine 810 adults drawn from a probability sample of eastern Baltimore residents in 1981. Of the population, 5·9% was found to be significantly depressed. DSM-III major depression (MD) had a prevalence of 1·1% and ‘non-major depression’ (nMD), our collective term for the other depressive disorder categories in DSM-III, had a prevalence of 3·4%. The two types of depression differed by sex ratio, age-specific prevalence, symptom severity, symptom profiles, and family history of suicide. Analyses using a multiple logistic regression model discerned that both types of depression were influenced by adverse life events, and that nMD was influenced strongly by gender, marital status, and lack of employment outside the home. Neither type of depression was influenced by income, education, or race. This study validates the concept of major depression as a clinical entity. Future studies of the aetiology, mechanism, and treatment of depression should distinguish between these two types of depression.

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