Depression

Patients with depression are less likely to receive guideline-concordant outpatient depression treatment if they have co-occurring substance use disorder, researchers found in a study published online in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Psychedelic treatment, provided in combination with supporting psychotherapy, was found to produce “rapid and large reductions” in symptoms of major depression in a study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Findings from the study were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Students diagnosed with depression undergo a drop in educational performance around ages 15 and 16 years, and boys and students from deprived backgrounds may be especially vulnerable, a study shows.

While social media was rewarding to many users looking for informational, emotional, and peer support when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, excessive use led to mental health issues, according to a study published in Computers in Human Behavior.

Zuranolone, an investigational neuroactive steroid, improved depressive symptoms in a majority of patients within a 14-day treatment course, topline results from an ongoing phase 3 open-label study show.

Introducing time-limited adaptive stressors has demonstrated a profound effect on patient well-being, but efforts to sidestep stress often overshadow these approaches in today's society, Psych Congress 2020 cochair Charles Raison, MD, said at the conference.

In managing side effects associated with psychotropic drugs, prescribers need to arm themselves with a menu of strategies and opt first for simpler solutions over adding or switching a medication, Rajnish Mago, MD, said at Psych Congress 2020.

Patients with major depressive disorder had significantly lower odds of filling a written prescription for a new antidepressant if they were nonwhite and antidepressant-naïve, according to an investigation presented in a poster at Psych Congress 2020.

The use of psychedelics in psychotherapy can help patients go beyond ameliorating symptoms and confront their root causes of depression, Andrew D. Penn, RN, MS, NP, CNS, APRN-BC, and Charles Raison, MD, said at a session at the Psych Congress 2020 psychedelics preconference.

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) reported feeling calmer and more engaged after treatment with adjunctive brexpiprazole, according to a poster presented at Psych Congress 2020.