Researchers from the University of Southampton, in collaboration with psychologists from six other universities, have started a study to assess the impact of a new psychological therapy for chronic, or treatment-resistant, depression (Refractory Depression).

Led by Thomas Lynch, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton, the approach is based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), a treatment with a proven track record in overcoming other serious mental health problems.

Refractory Depression is a common and chronic condition which severely disrupts the family, social and working lives of sufferers. Patients are often rigid and self-critical, exert unnecessary control over their emotions, and show little mental flexibility. At its most extreme, this pattern of behavior constitutes a maladaptive personality style known as emotional over-control. Particularly when under stress, such people prefer order to novelty and are relatively sensitive to threat, but insensitive to reward, for example, in a rose garden, they see the thorns but miss the flowers.

The REFRAMED (REFRActory Depression: Mechanisms and Efficacy of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) study is the first large clinical trial to extend the principles of DBT to refractory depression. Professor Lynch’s key insight is the idea that pre-existing personality characteristics-rooted in brain processes that emerge in childhood-are central to understanding why some individuals are prone to the disorder.

Professor Lynch comments: “Self-control, the ability to manage competing urges, impulses, behaviours, or desires, is highly valued in society. In fact, a lack of self-control characterizes many of the personal and social problems that afflict modern civilisation. But too much self-control can be equally damaging. People who are emotionally closed-off may find it difficult to get on with others or to recruit help when they encounter difficulties. This social isolation may lead to the development of severe and difficult-to-treat mental health problems-such as refractory depression.” [continue reading…]

Scanning the brains of volunteers can provide insights into the neuroscience of memory. © istockphoto

As part of the Guardian/Observer Memory Week, researchers Yasemin Yazar and Jon Simonsare offering readers the chance to participate in an online memory experiment.

You will be asked to complete two parts of the study and provide some anonymous information.

Meet Your Brain

Image: The Royal Institution

The Royal Institution’s 2011 Christmas lectures are now available to view online