Nearly ten percent of all cases of depression are so severe that the patients do not respond to any established treatment method. Targeted stimulation of areas in the brain using a type of “brain pacemaker” has recently raised hopes: According to initial studies, half of patients with the most severe depression treated in this manner see a significant improvement in mood. Physicians from the University of Bonn, together with colleagues from the US, have suggested a new target structure for deep brain stimulation (as it is technically called). They hope to achieve an even better success rate with fewer side effects. The work has been published in the renowned “Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews” (doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.12.009). [continue reading…]
Depression
The acerbic Ben Goldacre debunks the Blue Monday myth in today’s Guardian.
So Blue Monday does not put a catchy name on a simple human truth. It only really shows us how easy it is to take an idea that people think they already know, and then sell it back to them. Even if it’s false.
While it might be tempting to try to piggyback on nonsense, communicating on mental health issues – like anything interesting — requires that you challenge stigma and assumptions, not reinforce them.Curious? Continue reading
Source: The Guardian
For those of you reading this post who are saying well yes duh, up until now very few studies have focused on the sociodemographic or indeed the clinial patient characteristics with regard to the therapeutic alliance.
Now a group of researchers of the University of Ghent present new findings published in the Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics on the role of the relationship between patient and therapist (therapeutic alliance).
This study suggests that therapist and patient ratings of therapeutic alliance predict therapeutic progress. This relation may be moderated by client characteristics, including personality pathology comorbidity, marital status, occupational status, and the atypical character of the major depressive episode. ( Maybe I should be uttering those words again… “well no, really? Do you not think that would be obvious”. [continue reading…]
University of Michigan Health System researchers have found new evidence that our genes help determine our susceptibility to depression.
Their findings, published online today in the Archives of General Psychiatry, challenge a 2009 study that called the genetic link into question and add new support to earlier research hailed as a medical breakthrough.
In the summer of 2003, scientists announced they had discovered a connection between a gene that regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin and an individual’s ability to rebound from serious emotional trauma, such as childhood physical or sexual abuse. [continue reading…]
