Brief interpersonal therapy may help relieve maternal depression during pregnancy

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In this blog, Francesca Kingston summaries a clinical trial from the US Care Project, which investigated whether depression can be reduced during pregnancy and before birth using a brief, safe intervention.

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Gut microbiome disruptions in depression: shifting the focus to metabolic signatures in blood

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Gerard Clarke explores a recent study which looks into the interplay of metabolome and gut microbiome in individuals with major depressive disorder.

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Exercise for depression: an evidence-based treatment option

Physical activity engagement, even at low volumes, is associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms.

Ross Nedoma summarises the biggest review yet on exercise for depression, which strengthens the case for making exercise a key component in our fight against depression.

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Trauma informed care on acute inpatient units: reducing self harm and restrictive practices

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Dr Kirsten Lawson is back! In this blog, Kirsten explores a service evaluation of trauma informed care practices in acute inpatient units, looking specifically at reductions in self-harm and restraint practices.

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Mental health service pathways for children and adolescents with depression: do we have the data?

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In her debut blog, Emiliana Tonini summarises a recent study exploring the healthcare pathways of children and adolescents seeking support for depression, from referral through to discharge.

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“I’m always going to be tired”: fatigue in adolescent depression

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Georgia Kemp reflects on a recent qualitative paper that looks at adolescents’ personal accounts of fatigue as a symptom in depression.

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Long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression: not cost-effective compared to treatment as usual

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In her debut blog, Ella Tuominen considers the Tavistock Adult Depression Study (TADS), which evaluated the cost-effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression compared to treatment as usual.

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Everyday discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic: the toll on mental health

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A group of UCL MSc students summarise a US study on the association of everyday discrimination with depression and suicidal ideation during the pandemic.

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The burden of perinatal mental illness in migrant women: new evidence on prevalence and risk factors

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In her debut Mental Elf blog, Gilda Spaducci explores the global prevalence of perinatal mental disorders among migrant women; summarising a recent review which finds that “one in four experience perinatal depression, one in five perinatal anxiety, and one in eleven perinatal PTSD”.

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Is persistent anxiety and depression in childhood a one-way road to adverse outcomes in adulthood?

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In her latest blog, Laura Hankey summarises a longitudinal study using ALSPAC data that explored associations between anxiety, depression, and comorbid anxiety/depression in childhood and adverse outcomes in young adulthood.

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