Major Depressive Disorder News and Research

RSS

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.

A third of depression patients convert to bipolar disorder

Around a third of patients initially diagnosed with major depressive disorder have their diagnosis changed to bipolar disorder, Polish researchers report.

8 Aug 2012

Creatine may fight major depression in women

Women battling stubborn major depression may have a surprising new ally in their fight—the muscle-building dietary supplement creatine.

7 Aug 2012

Exercise partially alleviates depression in heart failure patients

Structured exercise achieves modest reductions in depressive symptoms relative to usual care among patients with heart failure the results of a randomized-controlled trial show.

6 Aug 2012

Exercise improves mood in heart failure patients

Structured exercise achieves modest reductions in depressive symptoms relative to usual care among patients with heart failure, the results of a randomized-controlled trial show.

6 Aug 2012

Exercise reduces symptoms of depression in patients with chronic heart failure

Patients with chronic heart failure who participated in exercise training had modest reductions in symptoms of depression after 12 months, compared with usual care, according to a study in the August 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Aug 2012

Study uncovers pathways by which yoga impacts biological processes

Six months ago, researchers at UCLA published a study that showed using a specific type of yoga to engage in a brief, simple daily meditation reduced the stress levels of people who care for those stricken by Alzheimer's and dementia. Now they know why.

25 Jul 2012

First-episode schizophrenia patients show frontal white matter deficits

Results from a Brazilian study suggest that patients with a first episode of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder show significant white matter deficits in the middle frontal gyrus region of the brain.

17 Jul 2012

Factors linked with MDD transition to BD identified

A wide range of demographic, clinical, and environmental factors are associated with an increased risk for transition from major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder, US study results show.

10 Jul 2012

Factors linked with MDD transition to BD identified

A wide range of demographic, clinical, and environmental factors are associated with an increased risk for transition from major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder, US study results show.

10 Jul 2012

Oxytocin levels linked to medication dose, symptoms in schizophrenia

Higher doses of second-generation antipsychotics and more severe negative symptoms are associated with lower levels of oxytocin in cerebrospinal fluid among patients with schizophrenia, researchers report.

29 Jun 2012

Study examines role of specific forms of psychotherapy in anxious depression

A new study that is published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics examines the role of specific forms of psychotherapy, cognitive therapy in anxious depression.

27 Jun 2012

Liability for schizophrenia linked to cognition in mood disorders

Schizotypal traits and genetic liability for schizophrenia are associated with reduced cognitive functioning in patients with mood disorders, Japanese study results show.

26 Jun 2012

Vitamin D therapy may improve symptoms of depression in women

Women with moderate to severe depression had substantial improvement in their symptoms of depression after they received treatment for their vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds. The case report series will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

26 Jun 2012

Pfizer, Wyeth and PF Prism file suit against Watson over generic Pristiq

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc. - Florida, filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market Desvenlafaxine Succinate Extended-release Tablets, 50 mg and 100 mg.

26 Jun 2012

Neuralstem commences dosing in NSI-189 Phase Ib trial for major depressive disorder

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that the first patients were dosed in Phase Ib of its ongoing trial to test the safety of NSI-189 in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

25 Jun 2012

Psychologic distress has broad vascular risk impact

Psychologic distress has as large an impact on people’s cerebrovascular disease risk as on their ischemic heart disease risk, say UK researchers.

20 Jun 2012

Mania develops in late adolescence

There is an increasing prevalence of bipolar disorder over adolescence, with late adolescence the peak period for the development of mania, research shows.

8 Jun 2012

Interim data from UCLA and NeuroSigma’s eTNS Phase I trial on PTSD, MDD

Today, at the 52nd annual New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) Conference in Arizona, Ian Cook, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Senior Medical Advisor to NeuroSigma, Inc., presented the results from the first 6-subject cohort of a 10-subject Phase I open-label clinical trial studying the effects of external trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy.

31 May 2012

Topline results from Alkermes’ ALKS 37 phase 2b study on opioid-induced constipation

Alkermes plc today announced topline results from a phase 2b dose-ranging clinical study of ALKS 37 in the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy of ALKS 37 in approximately 150 patients.

31 May 2012

Positive results from Alkermes’ ALKS 5461 phase 1/2 study on MDD

Alkermes plc today presented positive results from the phase 1/2 study of ALKS 5461, a novel drug compound for major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients who have an inadequate response to standard therapies for clinical depression, in an oral session at the 52nd Annual New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) Meeting in Phoenix.

30 May 2012