Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life.

Clinical Depression: Diagnosis, Causes & Treatment

Depression is a clinical condition that, contrary to popular opinion, cannot simply be overcome with time and it needs to be treated.

Intrusive Thoughts and Depression

Contributing Factors to Post-Adoption Depression

How Can I Tell if My Child is Depressed?

Depression and Sleep Length

Causes of Depression

The Science Behind the Winter Blues: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

Can Depression and Anxiety Occur Together?

How is Depression in Children Diagnosed?

Depression in children

Prisoner Depression and Low Mood

5 Facts You May Not Know About Depression

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Food Insecurity and Depression

Treatment of Depression

Genes and Depression

Situational Depression: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Antidepressants and Weight Changes

Ghrelin and Depression

Depression Diagnosis

How Does Your Diet Affect Depression?

Link Between Chronic Illness and Depression

Symptoms of Depression

Treatment Options for Children with Depression

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

Latest Depression News and Research

Restless legs syndrome triples the risk of perinatal depression in pregnant women

New research found a higher risk of perinatal depression in pregnant women with restless legs syndrome.

20 Oct 2026

Targeted ultrasound waves safely reduce delusions in people with schizophrenia

Targeting a deep brain region with sound waves may safely reduce delusions in people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, initial study results show.

20 Oct 2026

Caregivers with heart disease face high psychological distress risks

Family caregivers often put their own health second. For those already living with cardiovascular conditions, caregiving can add to their physical and emotional strain.

20 Oct 2026

Anxiety and depression linked to higher levels of pregnancy "brain fog"

Symptoms of anxiety and depression are associated with higher levels of "pregnancy brain," which is also known as "baby brain," "brain fog" or "momnesia," according to a new study by Penn State researchers.

20 Oct 2026

Preschool social-emotional lessons improve long-term adult well-being

Almost two decades later, preschool students who received supplemental instruction to build their social, emotional and language skills reported a higher quality of life than peers who did not receive the same skill instruction, according to an interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers.

20 Oct 2026

AI-powered virtual reality could help women manage menopause symptoms

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven effective in managing a number of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, depression, and sexual dysfunction.

20 Oct 2026

Your age may not tell the whole story about how healthy you are

Researchers developed a five-factor Lifestyle Index assessing physical activity, BMI, smoking, sleep quality, and sexual satisfaction in 312 Swiss adults aged 35 to 65 years. Higher scores were modestly associated with younger bio-functional age, suggesting a relationship between combined lifestyle patterns and functional health, although the findings cannot establish causation.

19 Oct 2026

Fruit and sugary drinks stood out in a three-year study of teenage mental health

A three-year study of 6,537 Australian adolescents found that higher fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of elevated depression and anxiety symptoms, while greater sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with increased risk. Vegetable consumption showed no significant association with either outcome, and the observational findings cannot establish cause and effect.

19 Oct 2026

Blood pressure drug losartan boosts metabolism by stimulating brown fat

Losartan, a drug commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, boosts brown adipose tissue or "brown fat" activity and enhances its metabolism, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine, Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center researchers.

19 Oct 2026

KAIST study discovers how the brain processes movement based on level of depressive symptoms

Can changing your posture change your mood? Previous studies have suggested that body posture and movement can influence emotions. KAIST researchers have extended this line of research by showing that, when people perform the same "depressed" body movements, their brain responses differ depending on the level of their depressive symptoms.

19 Oct 2026

Presurgical sleep medications linked to less pain and anxiety after surgery

Improving sleep before surgery through the use of melatonin or Ambien (zolpidem) may ease presurgical anxiety, reduce pain after surgery, decrease opioid requirements and help patients recover better, according to an analysis of 25 years of research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting.

19 Oct 2026

Ketamine may ease early depressive symptoms after cesarean delivery

Ketamine, a medication used in operating rooms for anesthesia and pain control, may offer another benefit for some new mothers: easing early symptoms of postpartum depression after cesarean delivery (C-section), according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting.

19 Oct 2026

What you did last week may be the strongest clue to how much you'll exercise this week

Researchers analyzing exercise records from 5.17 million Strava users across 65 countries found that recent exercise history was the strongest predictor of whether individuals would meet a weekly physical activity threshold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical activity patterns varied considerably across regions, with greater disruption in many middle-income countries and better adherence associated with greater access to outdoor exercise facilities.

18 Oct 2026

Neurotechnology offers hope for better anxiety and depression treatments

Technology can contribute to better treatment for people struggling with anxiety and depression, according to researcher Sandra Klonteig.

16 Oct 2026

Precise brain circuit targeting may improve depression treatment outcomes

Stimulation of specific brain connections was associated with sustained improvement in people receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment-resistant depression, Mount Sinai researchers reported.

14 Oct 2026

Common blood pressure drug boosts brown adipose tissue activity and metabolism

Scientists have discovered that the drug losartan, commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, boosts brown adipose tissue activity in mice, enhancing their metabolism.

14 Oct 2026

New study highlights severe depression risks for young doctor trainees

Every summer, more than 1,600 recent medical school graduates start training to become obstetrician-gynecologists at hospitals across the United States.

14 Oct 2026

Nature-based activities may offer lasting relief from loneliness

About one in three Americans and one in six people worldwide feel lonely on a regular basis, a troubling reality that has prompted some public health officials to declare an "epidemic of loneliness."

13 Oct 2026

Disadvantaged children with intellectual disabilities face greater mental health difficulties

Children with intellectual disabilities face greater mental health difficulties when they are from a disadvantaged background, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

13 Oct 2026

Parents of children with mental health problems face stigma

Parents of children with mental health problems may experience stigma when the ideals that matter most to being considered a "good parent" are perceived as not being met, according to preliminary research led by Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.

13 Oct 2026