Major Depressive Disorder News and Research

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Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by depressed mood or anhedonia (significant loss of interest or pleasure). The condition affects more than 15.7 million adults and approximately 3 million adolescents (aged 13 to 17 years) in the USA each year.

Study finds microdosing LSD leads to longer sleep: Insights from a controlled trial

A phase I trial to assess the effect of micro-dosing of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on the sleep.

17 Apr 2024

Ketamine's rapid impact on depression linked to immune system pathways

Study reveals ketamine's potent anti-inflammatory effects on neurological disorders, showing promise for treating major depressive disorder through modulation of neuroimmune pathways.

15 Apr 2024

Can psychedelics improve sexual functioning and satisfaction?

The influence of psychedelics on sexual functioning.

15 Apr 2024

Is psilocybin safe for treating depression and anxiety?

A study in JAMA Network Open examined the acute adverse effects of therapeutic doses of psilocybin for treating depression and anxiety, focusing on its safety profile by assessing the occurrence of immediate side effects like headache, nausea, and elevated blood pressure among others.

12 Apr 2024

Gut-friendly psychobiotics could brighten moods and fight depression

Review uncovers that psychobiotics may offer supportive treatment for depression by restoring gut microbiome balance and positively influencing the microbiome-gut-brain axis, which is crucial for mental health and well-being.

8 Apr 2024

Smartphone app uses AI and facial-image processing software to reliably detect the onset of depression

Dartmouth researchers report they have developed the first smartphone application that uses artificial intelligence paired with facial-image processing software to reliably detect the onset of depression before the user even knows something is wrong.

27 Feb 2024

Exercise is an effective treatment for depression, with walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training more effective than other exercises

Researchers determined the potentially most effective exercise regimen and dosage in managing major depressive disorder in comparison to antidepressants, psychotherapy, and control interventions.

16 Feb 2024

The role of odor and verbal cues in recalling memories

Whether odor vs word cues could prompt memory in MDD patients with deficits in specific AM recall.

16 Feb 2024

Twin study investigates the role of the microbiome as a modifier in mental disorders

Researchers examined whether the influence of gut microbiome perturbations on various biological processes, such as the dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, performance of the immune system, and the production of neurotransmitters and short-chain fatty acids contributed to the manifestation and progression of mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

15 Feb 2024

Scents help depressed individuals recall happy memories

Smelling a familiar scent can help depressed individuals recall specific autobiographical memories and potentially assist in their recovery, discovered a team of University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers and UPMC social workers in a study published today in JAMA Network Open.

13 Feb 2024

Groundbreaking study shows monocytes migrate to brain's emotional centers during stress

Researchers report a mechanism wherein peripheral immune factors could impact central nervous system (CNS) function and behavior under stress.

12 Feb 2024

Enzyme released by immune cells may play role in depression

Mount Sinai researchers have shown for the first time that immune cells called monocytes, derived in the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream, can be drawn during stress into sites in the brain that control emotional behaviors.

8 Feb 2024

AI helps predict antidepressant response in a week

In patients with major depression disorder it is, thanks to use of artificial intelligence, now possible to predict within a week whether an antidepressant will work.

7 Feb 2024

Study identifies plasma markers linked to mental health in young adults

Study in "Translational Psychiatry" explores plasma proteins related to the p-factor in young adults, revealing potential biomarkers for overall mental health status and insights into common underlying factors of mental health disorders.

28 Jan 2024

Largest study using machine learning in neuroimaging sets new benchmark for major depression diagnosis

A benchmark classification of major depressive disorder (MDD) using machine learning (ML).

15 Jan 2024

Study identifies more than 200 new genes linked to depression

More than 200 genes linked to depression have been newly identified in a worldwide study led by UCL researchers.

10 Jan 2024

Leaky gut linked to depressive disorders: New insights into microbiota-induced epigenetic changes

A study in the journal Genes highlights how a leaky gut can lead to depressive disorders through changes in gut microbiota-derived metabolites, emphasizing the role of diet, environmental factors, and probiotics in managing these conditions.

18 Dec 2023

Psilocybin may benefit individuals with cancer and major depression

Results from a phase II clinical trial indicate that psilocybin, a hallucinogenic chemical found in certain mushrooms of the genus Psiloybe, may benefit individuals with cancer and major depression.

18 Dec 2023

Researchers reveal a connection between cellular metabolism and depression, suicidal ideation

Major depressive disorder affects 16.1 million adults in the United States and costs $210 billion annually. While the primary symptoms of depression are psychological, scientists and doctors have come to understand that depression is a complex disease with physical effects throughout the body.

15 Dec 2023

Study assesses links between early negative life events, orbitofrontal cortical thickness and depression in young adults

Study found that early negative life events predict depressive symptoms in young adulthood, but not through accelerated thinning of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) across adolescence, challenging previous assumptions about the brain's structural changes and mental health.

10 Dec 2023