Major Depression Research: A Narrative Review
Abstract
Tiffany Field
Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders. This narrative review summarizes research on major depression that was published this year (2024). This current research has focused on negative effects of major depression, predictors/risk factors, potential underlying biological mechanisms and interventions. The negative effects have included anxious distress, pain, sleep disorders, touch aversion, hoarding and global functioning problems even after remission. The predictors/risk factors have included female gender, early onset age and hospitalization, accelerated aging, sleep disorders, anhedonia and lipid dysregulation. Psychological interventions have been exclusively focused on cognitive behavioral therapy. Physical interventions have included electroconvulsive therapy, vagal nerve stimulation, acupressure, exercise, and dietary interventions. Pharmacological interventions have included escitalopram, duloxetine, and ketamine. Potential underlying biological mechanisms have included tryptophan metabolism dysfunction, inflammation, cytokines, polygenic risk, orbito- frontal cortex involvement, connectivity dysfunction, and reductions in cortical thickness, white matter and gray matter. Although this research has been informative, most of the current publications are systematic reviews and meta-analyses rather than empirical studies. In addition, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 rather than a DSM-5 diagnosis following a structured clinical interview has frequently been used to identify those with major depression.