Depression
Pregnant Women More Susceptible to Flu if Depressed
While the flu season did come earlier this year, it has settled like a black fog throughout the country. For women who are pregnant, the threat of the flu can bring with it increased risks, driving many to receive the flu vaccine. For those pregnant women who are also dealing with depression, the vaccine could be a lifesaver.
Science Daily posted a release that covered a recent study into the effects depression has on pregnant women. One of the findings was that these women tend to have a stronger biological reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine, suggesting that the immune systems in depressed and pregnant women are not functioning as normal.
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Mediterranean Diet May Ward Off Depression
People diet for a number of different reasons; including better health, smaller waistline and improved self-image. For those who follow the Mediterranean diet, they are also likely to improve their overall disposition.
Science Daily posted a release that examined the impact this diet has on a person. Those who follow the diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish, appear less likely to develop depression.
Overall, the lifetime prevalence of mental disorders has been shown to be lower in Mediterranean than Northern European countries. The diet appears to be a contributing factor to protect against depression. Previous studies suggest that the monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil may be associated with a lower risk of severe depressive symptoms.
Brain Stimulation May Be Effective Treatment for Severe Depression
A new neurosurgical procedure may prove helpful for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Bilateral epidural prefrontal cortical stimulation (EpCS) was found generally safe and provided significant improvement of depressive symptoms in a small group of patients, according to lead researcher Ziad Nahas, M.D. at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
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Research Suggests Depression and Anxiety Very Different Disorders in Adolescents
Depression and anxiety are often classified as very similar conditions; so much so that many anxiety disorders are treated with the same medication as that prescribed for depression. When this approach is taken with adolescents, the results can be devastating.
A new Science Daily release found that adolescent depression and anxiety disorders are two very distinct psychiatric disorders. This difference was strongly noted by Dr. William W. Hale III, a researcher of the Langeveld Institute for the Study of Education and Development in Childhood and Adolescence at Utrecht University, in a recent publication in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
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Seniors Online Show Less Depression
While some are crying out against the dangers too much Internet use can cause an individual, others are touting its value in terms of social connection. For seniors especially, Internet use could be good for their health.
According to a McKnights article, seniors using the Internet could reduce rates of depression and cut healthcare costs at the same time. This prediction is part of a new report from The Phoenix Center.
Seniors face significant challenges in maintaining relationships with friends and family, especially if they have mobility difficulties. Such obstacles can lead to depression and can complicate current health conditions.
Mental Health is Important for Overall Physical Health
Mental health is an important focus in the medical world as it is an integral part of overall physical health. Mental health professionals tried to emphasize this point at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar on World Mental Health Day.
The Peninsula Qatar posted an article highlighting the event. Dr. Ziad Kronfol, associate professor of psychiatry at WCMC-Q, led a discussion on the relationship between depression and physical health at the World Mental Health Day event.
“Mental health disorders occur at all stages of life and in all cultures,” said Dr. Kronfol. “Depression, in particular, is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Research studies have shown that depression is a common complication of other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis or kidney disease.”
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Why Anti-Depressants Don’t Work for Some
More than half of people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief. New research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine finds that this is because the cause of depression has been oversimplified and drugs designed to treat it are aiming at the wrong target.
Science Daily reports that a study from the laboratory of long-time depression researcher Eva Redei, presented at the Neuroscience 2009 conference in Chicago this week, appears to topple two strongly held beliefs about depression. One is that stressful life events are a major cause of depression. The other is that an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain triggers depressive symptoms.
Depression-Inflicted Adults Fail to Seek Treatment
Seeking medical treatment for depression can make a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. For men and women in Ontario, Canada, less than half are seeking this treatment. In addition, those who have been hospitalized for severe depression fail to see a doctor for follow-up care within 30 days of discharge.
These findings were recently posted in Science Daily and suggest there is a need for a comprehensive care model that involves a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to help both men and women to better manage depression and improve their quality of life.
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Too Much Light at Night Can Lead to Symptoms of Depression in Mice
Too much light at night can lead to symptoms of depression, according to a new study. Researchers found that mice housed in a lighted room 24 hours a day exhibited more depressive symptoms than did similar mice that had a normal light-dark cycle.
However, mice that lived in constant light but could escape into a dark, opaque tube when they wanted showed less evidence of depressive symptoms than did mice that had 24-hour light but only a clear tube in their housing.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Better for Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of severe depression that occurs annually in the fall and winter seasons. University of Vermont psychologist Kelly Rohan presented the first published research study of the long-term effects of different treatments for SAD in the September issue of the journal Behavior Therapy.
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