Depression Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Group Psychotherapy for Sub-Clinical Depression in Older Adults.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of group psychotherapy for sub-clinical depression in older adults.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Nov 12;
Krishna M, Honagodu A, Rajendra R, Sundarachar R, Lane S, Lepping P

OBJECTIVES: Studies investigating the effectiveness of group psychotherapy intervention in sub-threshold depression have shown varying results with differing effect sizes. A systematic review of randomised controlled trials of group psychotherapy in older adults with sub-threshold depression was conducted to present the best available evidence in relation to its effect on depressive symptomatology and the prevention of major depression. METHODS: Systematic search of electronic databases and random effects model for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Four clinical trials met the full inclusion criteria. Group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention for reducing depressive symptoms in older adults with sub-threshold depression in comparison to waiting list. Computerised CBT is at least as effective as group CBT in reducing depressive symptoms. The benefit of group CBT at follow-up is not maintained. Group psychotherapy does not appear to reduce the risk of depressive disorder during follow-up. There are fewer drop outs from group psychotherapy when compared with control conditions. The methodological quality of the studies and their reporting are sub-optimal. CONCLUSIONS: Group psychological interventions in older adults with sub-threshold depression have a significant effect on depressive symptomatology, which is not maintained at follow-up. Group psychotherapy does not appear to reduce the incidence of major depressive disorders. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HubMed – depression

 

Anesthetic effects on susceptibility to cortical spreading depression.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Neuropharmacology. 2012 Nov 9;
Kudo C, Toyama M, Boku A, Hanamoto H, Morimoto Y, Sugimura M, Niwa H

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a transient neuronal and glial depolarization and disruption of membrane ionic gradients that propagates slowly across the cerebral cortex. Recent clinical and experimental evidence has implicated CSD in the pathophysiology of migraines and neuronal injury states. In the current study, we examined the influence of four different anesthetics (propofol, dexmedetomidine, isoflurane, pentobarbital) on CSD susceptibility in a KCl-application animal model. We found that isoflurane and dexmedetomidine suppressed CSD frequency, and tended to reduce the CSD propagation speed. Our data suggest that these anesthetics may be therapeutically beneficial in preventing CSD in diverse neuronal injury states.
HubMed – depression

 

Modulation of the Startle Reflex across Time by Unpleasant Pictures Distinguishes Dysphoric from Non-Dysphoric Women.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Int J Psychophysiol. 2012 Nov 9;
Taubitz LE, Robinson JS, Larson CL

While several investigators have examined differences in affective startle modulation between individuals with and without Major Depressive Disorder, fewer researchers have evaluated the time course of this response, particularly in dysphoric individuals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate emotion modulation of the startle reflex during and after the presentation of affective pictures in dysphoric and non-dysphoric women. Dysphoric subjects showed attenuated startle for unpleasant compared to neutral pictures 1.5 seconds post-stimulus onset relative to non-dysphoric subjects and potentiated startle for unpleasant compared to neutral pictures 3 seconds post-stimulus offset. These findings extend the literature on the time course of affective startle modulation in dysphoria, and mirror results of studies in which other psychophysiological responses were examined in this population with regard to negative emotion.
HubMed – depression

 

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