Depressive Disorder News and Research

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Relationship of female sex hormones to mood states and disorders merits better research

Countless movies and TV shows make light of women's so-called “moodiness”, often jokingly attributing it to their menstrual cycle or, conversely, to menopause.

13 Dec 2007

New studies on brain and behavior from the world's leading scientists

The 2007 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting will feature hundreds of new studies on brain and behavior from the world's leading scientists.

10 Dec 2007

Stable sleep patterns and regular routines may improve outcomes in bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic-depressive disorder, is highly influenced by the circadian system - the body's internal clock - and a specific kind of psychotherapy may help decrease irregularities in the circadian system that can trigger key symptoms of bipolar disorder, according to a study presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting.

10 Dec 2007

New psychiatric medication treatment guidelines for preschoolers

The number of preschool-age children being treated with stimulants, antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs is on the rise, despite limited research and a lack of clinical practice guidelines.

4 Dec 2007

FDA approves Cymbalta for maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder

Eli Lilly and Company has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for the maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.

2 Dec 2007

FDA accepts Schering-Plough's new drug application for Asenapine

Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently accepted the filing for review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for asenapine, a fast-dissolving, sublingual tablet.

26 Nov 2007

Trial of the antidepressant fluoxetine for teens with depression and substance use disorders

The antidepressant fluoxetine combined with cognitive behavioral therapy appears as effective for treating depression among teens who also have substance use disorders as among those without substance abuse problems, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

6 Nov 2007

Fabre Kramer Pharmaceuticals receives FDA decision on Gepirone ER for major depressive disorder

Fabre-Kramer Pharmaceuticals Inc. (FKP) and GlaxoSmithKline announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a not approvable letter for the new drug application for gepirone extended- release (ER) tablets, submitted for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder.

5 Nov 2007

Depressed adolescents respond best to psychotherapy and antidepressant medication

A combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication appears to be the most effective treatment for adolescents with major depressive disorder - more than medication alone or psychotherapy alone, according to results from a major clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

2 Oct 2007

Genetic test announced for suicidal ideation in patients using antidepressant drugs

NeuroMark, a Boulder, Colorado company, announced today the immediate availability of a genetic test to identify people at risk of suicidal ideation - thoughts of committing suicide - when prescribed an antidepressant drug.

27 Sep 2007

Women more depressed and men more impulsive with reduced serotonin functioning

Women and men appear to respond differently to the same biochemical manipulation.

18 Sep 2007

Oncologists critical in managing psychiatric disorders in patients with advanced cancer

Mental illness and emotional distress in patients with advanced cancer are often overlooked by oncologists but, if screened for, can be adequately managed to improve a patient's quality of life.

11 Sep 2007

Seroquel XR tablets approved in Netherlands for the treatment of schizophrenia

AstraZeneca today announced the Netherlands regulatory authority MEB (Medicines Evaluation Board) has approved Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate) Extended-Release Tablets, a once-daily medicine for the treatment of schizophrenia in adult patients.

29 Aug 2007

Brain imaging reveals breakdown of normal emotional processing

Brain imaging has revealed a breakdown in normal patterns of emotional processing that impairs the ability of people with clinical depression to suppress negative emotional states.

17 Aug 2007

Faster-acting antidepressant medications

A new study has revealed more about how the medication ketamine, when used experimentally for depression, relieves symptoms of the disorder in hours instead of the weeks or months it takes for current antidepressants to work.

25 Jul 2007

Study to evaluate lithium for the treatment of bipolar disorder

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are participating in a national study to evaluate lithium for the treatment of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.

18 Jul 2007

Barr announces tentative approval for generic version of Effexor tablets

Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that its subsidiary PLIVA has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its generic version of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Effexor (Venlafaxine Hydrochloride) Tablets, 25mg, 37.5mg, 50mg, 75mg and 100mg.

27 Jun 2007

Genetic variations may help explain why some men with depression develop suicidal thoughts

Although most patients with depression respond favorably to antidepressant medications, a very small subgroup may experience worse symptoms after beginning treatment, according to background information in the article.

5 Jun 2007

Urgent need for countries to provide a network of community mental health services

For the first time, WHO invited people living with mental disorders to attend the Forum, sending a message to countries that it is important to give a voice to this excluded group to claim their rights and secure their participation in society.

3 Jun 2007

Adding medication improves recovery for elderly with depression

Adding a medication to a standard treatment regimen for major depressive disorder in the elderly improves chances of recovery in those who do not adequately respond to the first-course therapy or who relapse from it, finds a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association.