Antidepressants may not improve all symptoms of depression.
Depression, which affects about 19 million adults in the United States every year, can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, asthma and obesity.
Researchers from America analysed data from a U.S. National Institute of Mental Health-sponsored study of depression treatment, which involved more than 4,000 people with major depression around the country. This is the largest study on depression treatment till date. While antidepressant medications worked in general, all patients taking them reported three to 13 residual symptoms and 75 percent reported five or more residual symptoms.
These symptoms included insomnia that occurs in the middle of the night (79 percent); sadness (nearly 71 percent), and problems with concentration and decision-making (nearly 70 percent).
Widely used antidepressant medications, while working overall, missed these symptoms. If patients have persistent residual symptoms, they will have a high probability of incomplete recovery. However, suicidal thoughts discontinued in nearly all cases.
It is important to develop antidepressants that decrease the other depressive symptoms, and to explore the link between depression and concentration.
Depression, which affects about 19 million adults in the United States every year, can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, asthma and obesity.
Researchers from America analysed data from a U.S. National Institute of Mental Health-sponsored study of depression treatment, which involved more than 4,000 people with major depression around the country. This is the largest study on depression treatment till date. While antidepressant medications worked in general, all patients taking them reported three to 13 residual symptoms and 75 percent reported five or more residual symptoms.
These symptoms included insomnia that occurs in the middle of the night (79 percent); sadness (nearly 71 percent), and problems with concentration and decision-making (nearly 70 percent).
Widely used antidepressant medications, while working overall, missed these symptoms. If patients have persistent residual symptoms, they will have a high probability of incomplete recovery. However, suicidal thoughts discontinued in nearly all cases.
It is important to develop antidepressants that decrease the other depressive symptoms, and to explore the link between depression and concentration.