Sophie Fairweather explores a recent paper which suggests that the inflammatory cytokines IL-2 and IL-6 are associated with both the risk of developing depression, and with depression severity, although this relationship is modified by sex.
[read the full story...]Shorter sleep and depression: what role do our genes play?
Nick Donnelly discusses how one’s genetic predisposition to shorter sleep is associated with the onset of depression in older adults.
[read the full story...]Are psychological interventions effective in preventing relapse and recurrence in depression?
Andrea Cipriani is back, this time writing with Rosario Aronica to summarise an individual patient data meta-analysis on the use of psychological interventions for preventing relapse in depression.
[read the full story...]Keep on movin’… Even small doses of physical activity can lower our risk of depression
Elli Kypraiou considers a systematic review published in JAMA Psychiatry, which suggests that relatively small doses of physical activity were associated with substantially lower risks of depression.
[read the full story...](Brain) sex matters
Paris Lalousis reviews a recent study that looks into the differences in brain connectivity between males and females, which suggests a potential sex-based divergence in the neurobiological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders.
[read the full story...]From mother to child: the role of racism and trauma in the intergenerational transmission of depression
Lisa Lloyd and Krupa Sheth summarise a study investigating the role of racism and trauma on the intergenerational transmission of depression between Black mothers and their children.
[read the full story...]Anti-inflammatory treatments for youth depression: promising but not yet implementable
Céline Wessa reports on a recent systematic review of pharmacological anti-inflammatory treatment in children and adolescents with depressive symptoms, which has some promising results.
[read the full story...]Risk factors for depression relapse while on long-term maintenance antidepressant treatment
In her debut blog, Asha Ladwa discusses a secondary analysis of data from the ANTLER trial, which investigated the clinical factors associated with relapse in primary care patients on long-term maintenance antidepressants.
[read the full story...]From parent to child: understanding the risk of anxiety in families affected by mood disorders
Aslihan Baser summarises a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the risk for developing anxiety disorders in children whose parents experience mood disorders.
[read the full story...]Brain-body health please: new research supports integrated physical and mental health care
Athina Aruldass finds that management of serious neuropsychiatric disorders should acknowledge the importance of poor physical health and target restoration of both brain and body function.
[read the full story...]