A new way of looking at depression risk and prevention
New U-M research is exploring risk factors that may make recurrence of depression more likely, with the goal of finding evidence that can help guide treatment decisions and more effectively prevent future depressive episodes. By looking at young adults in remission from a previous major depressive episode (and who are not taking medication for their condition), researchers can better isolate risk factors that would otherwise be more difficult to pinpoint amid symptoms of ongoing depressive illness.
Led by Depression Center member Scott Langenecker, Ph.D., the work will pay particular attention to changes in thinking processes that may be associated with depression risk, using brain imaging and targeted tests of memory, attention and concentration, and mood. The research may also be able to explore genetic factors that may protect against the development of depression. The goal is to follow individuals over a year, and hopefully longer.
The research will use the novel approach of attempting to quantify traits associated with illness that may not be evident while a person is experiencing symptoms of depression. One hope is that the results will help clarify characteristics that may influence the likelihood of recurrence. The study is also unique in that it is being done prospectively, which means scientists can evaluate risk factors that may predict depressive illness before another episode happens, rather than trying to reconstruct which factors may have contributed to an episode after it happened.
Ultimately, this work may help to identify individuals most in need of follow up, maintenance treatments, and aid in producing more personalized treatments. It could also lead to the development of treatment guidelines to help prevent recurrences in people who have already had a major depressive episode, maximizing the use of healthcare resources and providing attention to people who need it most, when they need it most.
For information about this and other depression research, visit: www.umclinicalstudies.org
March 23, 2011
