Depressed Jane

Sanofi-Aventis U.S. announced that Aplenzin(TM) (bupropion hydrobromide) extended-release tablets, an effective bupropion therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), is now available by prescription in the United States for adults ages 18 and older.

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A study published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics suggests that single-family and multi-family therapy may benefit hospitalized patients with major depression, and may help the partners of the patients to become aware of the patient’s improvement more quickly. Family-based interventions have been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression, but they have seldom been studied in hospitalized depressed patients.

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Two non-pharmacological interventions-cognitive behavior therapy and supportive stress management-appear more effective than usual care for treating depression after coronary artery bypass surgery, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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Most males who commit suicide or need hospital care for suicide attempts during their teen or early adult years appear to have high levels of psychiatric problems at age 8, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, later suicide attempts in females are not predicted by mental health issues at this age.

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A supplement in this edition of the Medical Journal of Australia examines the multiplying effect of depression and physical illness. Supported by “beyondblue: the national depression initiative”, the supplement includes research and commentary from leading mental health experts from throughout Australia.

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In 2007-2008, there were more than 52,000 admissions to mental health beds in Ontario, and new data show that the vast majority of these showed improvements during their hospital stay. For example, the analysis found that 83% of people hospitalized for mental illness were showing signs of depression at the time of their admission. Of those, 75% showed a decrease in signs of depression by the time they were discharged.

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The Kennedy Krieger Institute will commemorate the two-year anniversary of the Interactive Autism Network (IAN), www.IANProject.org, with the much-anticipated launch of its research initiative for adults and the unveiling of a more user-friendly, easily navigated online community.

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Researchers at the University of Illinois report that IDO, an enzyme found throughout the body and long suspected of playing a role in depression, is in fact essential to the onset of depressive symptoms sparked by chronic inflammation. Their study, just published online in the Journal of Immunology, is the first to identify IDO (indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase) as a molecular switch that induces depressive symptoms in some cases of chronic inflammation.

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Formerly depressed women show patterns of brain activity when they are criticized by their mothers that are distinctly different from the patterns shown by never depressed controls, according to a new study from Harvard University. The participants reported being completely well and fully recovered, yet their neural activity resembled that which has been observed in depressed individuals in other studies.

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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends screening adolescents for clinical depression only when appropriate systems are in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care. This applies to all adolescents 12 to 18 years of age. In a separate recommendation, the Task Force found insufficient evidence to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening children 7 to 11 years of age for clinical depression.

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