Melancholic Depression Information

Melancholic depression, or 'depression with melancholic features' is a DSM-IV subtype of major depression requiring one of: anhedonia (the inability to find pleasure in positive things), or lack of mood reactivity (i.e. mood does not improve in response to positive events) and at least three of: depression is subjectively different from grief or loss, severe weight loss or loss of appetite, psychomotor agitation or retardation, early morning awakening, guilt that is excessive, and worse mood in the morning. Melancholic features apply to an episode of depression that occurs as part of either Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder I or II.^[1] Melancholic depression is often considered to be a biologically based and particularly severe form of depression.^[2] Treatment involves: antidepressants, electroconvulsive therapy, or other empirically supported treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy for depression.^[3] A 2008 analysis from a large study of patients with unipolar major depression found a rate of 23.5% for melancholic features.^[2] The incidence of melancholic depression has been found to increase when the temperature and/or sunlight are low.^[4] According to DSM-IV the Melancholic features specifier may be applied to the following only:

1. Major depressive episode, single episode
2. Major depressive episode, recurrent episode
3. Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed
4. Bipolar II disorder, most recent episode depressed

Causes

The causes of melancholic type major depressive disorder are believed to be mostly due to biological factors; some may have inherited the disorder from their parents. Sometimes stressful situations can trigger episodes of melancholic depression, though this is a contributing cause rather than a necessary or sufficient cause. It has also been found that melancholic symptoms are common in people who suffer from Bipolar Disorder I and may often be present in people with Bipolar Disorder II. People with psychotic symptoms are also thought to be more susceptible to this disorder. It is frequent in old age and often unnoticed by some physicians who perceive the symptoms to be a part of dementia. Major Depressive Disorder, melancholic or otherwise, is a separate condition that can be comorbid with dementia in the elderly.^[5]

See also

• Melancholia

References

1. ^ Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Text Revision. Arlington VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. 2008. pp. 419-420. ISBN 978-0-89042-025-6.
2. ^ ^{a b} McGrath, Patrick; Ashan Khan, Madhukar Trivedi, Jonathan Stewart, David W Morris, Stephen Wisniewski, Sachiko Miyahara, Andrew Nierenberg, Maurizio Fava, John Rush, (2008). "Response to a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (Citalopram) in Major Depressive Disorder with Melancholic Features: A STAR*D Report". Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 69: 1847-1855.
3. ^ Luty, Suzanne; Carter, Janet; McKenzie, Janice (2007). "Randomised controlled trial of interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression". The British Journal of Psychiatry 190: 496-502. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.106.024729.
4. ^ Radua, Joaquim; Pertusa, Alberto; Cardoner, Narcis (28 February 2010). "Climatic relationships with specific clinical subtypes of depression". Psychiatry Research 175 (3): 217–220. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2008.10.025. PMID 20045197.
5. ^ Pekker, Michael. [Melancholic depression has a short spontaneous reduction rate. It is treated best with physical treatments (for example antidepressant drugs) and only slightly (at best) to non-physical treatments such as counseling or psychotherapy "Clinical Depression: Symptoms and Treatments"]. Melancholic depression has a short spontaneous reduction rate. It is treated best with physical treatments (for example antidepressant drugs) and only slightly (at best) to non-physical treatments such as counseling or psychotherapy. Retrieved 12 October 2011.

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Categories:

• Mood disorders

Related 'Melancholic Depression' Searches:

See Also:

• Agitated Depression
• Atypical Depression
• Clinical Depression
• Depression
• Depression (Mood)
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Major Depressive Episode
• Melancholy
• Postpartum Depression
• Zung Self-rating Depression Scale