Cognitive Dimensions Of Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a clinically and neurobiologically highly heterogenous mood disorder that consists of a variety of symptom clusters including mood symptoms, physical symptoms, and cognitive symptoms. While the traditional model of depression implicates mood as the primary symptom cluster, a more recently published conceptual understanding of depression has extended to also include cognitive symptoms. Moreover, the understanding of the central role of cognitive processes in emotion processing, social interaction, and pure cognitive performance has led to a model suggestion that places cognitive processing central to the pathophysiology of depression. Cognitive dimensions of depression have long been implicated in the nature of depression that are characterised typically by impaired cognitive and emotional processes. In the following volume the dimensions of cognitive function, emotion processing, and social cognitive processing are highlighted to comprehensively describe large parts of the clinical symptoms as well as the pathophysiology and biology of the brain-based disorder of depression. The focus on the above cognitive and emotional dimensions of depression offers extended and novel diagnostic and treatment approaches ranging from pharmacological to psychological interventions targeting those dimensions of depression. This volume informs about some of the more fundamental psychological, biological and clinical concepts that are applicable to the comprehensive treatment of depression and is suitable for students, trainees, clinicians and scientists in the fields of psychology, neuropsychology, psychiatry, cognitive neuroscience, neurology, general medicine / general practice and other health care professionals as it will also cover core knowledge and skills for training as well as practice.

Part of the Oxford Psychiatry Library (OPL) series, Cognition in Major Depressive Disorder provides a succinct summary of cognitive deficits reported in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) with a particular focus on aspects of measurement, underlying disease pathophysiology, implications for treatment and prevention. This book also provides readers an opportunity for clinical-based assessment of cognition and recommendations for how cognitive measurement and treatment is positioned in the management of individuals with mood disorders.

To date, no other book has truly integrated the interpersonal, cognitive, and social perspectives on depression research. This book provides that integration and will hopefully stimulate it further. This book also showcases a wide variety of research.

Provides state-of-the-art information about cognition in schizophrenia with a wide ranging focus on measuring and treating cognitive deficits.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability globally in both developed and developing nations. The staggering economic costs attributable to MDD are largely a consequence of impairment in role function. Evidence indicates that disturbance in the domain of cognitive function in individuals with MDD is the principal determinant of health outcome. This is the first book to comprehensively explore the domain of cognition in MDD. The literature describing cognitive dysfunction is reviewed with particular focus on clinical determinants, pathophysiology and causative factors. The patient subpopulations most susceptible are defined. A summary of contemporary assessment tools for research and clinical purposes is provided. Multimodality treatments and prevention strategies are described. This book is an invaluable resource for psychiatrists, neuropsychologists and other members of the mental health team, as well as for policy makers, vocation rehabilitation experts, disability providers and other stakeholders interested in improving health outcomes in MDD.

Depression is a widespread condition affecting approximately 7.5 million parents in the U.S. each year and may be putting at least 15 million children at risk for adverse health outcomes. Based on evidentiary studies, major depression in either parent can interfere with parenting quality and increase the risk of children developing mental, behavioral and social problems. Depression in Parents, Parenting, and Children highlights disparities in the prevalence, identification, treatment, and prevention of parental depression among different sociodemographic populations. It also outlines strategies for effective intervention and identifies the need for a more interdisciplinary approach that takes biological, psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and social contexts into consideration. A major challenge to the effective management of parental depression is developing a treatment and prevention strategy that can be introduced within a two-generation framework, conducive for parents and their children. Thus far, both the federal and state response to the problem has been fragmented, poorly funded, and lacking proper oversight. This study examines options for widespread implementation of best practices as well as strategies that can be effective in diverse service settings for diverse populations of children and their families. The delivery of adequate screening and successful detection and treatment of a depressive illness and prevention of its effects on parenting and the health of children is a formidable challenge to modern health care systems. This study offers seven solid recommendations designed to increase awareness about and remove barriers to care for both the depressed adult and prevention of effects in the child. The report will be of particular interest to federal health officers, mental and behavioral health providers in diverse parts of health care delivery systems, health policy staff, state legislators, and the general public.

Recent research indicates that depression, once believed to be relatively benign, is highly recurrent and does not respond well to treatment. The goal of this book is to facilitate the development of more encompassing theories and more effective treatments for this disabling disorder by fostering dialogue and enhancing the integration of work across the boundaries of separate fields.

The first book to comprehensively assemble research, clinical, and public policy perspectives on cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder.

Depression, a highly common clinical disorder, is an important and clinically relevant topic for both clinical researchers and practitioners to address, because of its prevalence, impact on the individual and society, association with other mental and physical health problems and the social contexts in which it develops. Depression ranks in Germany and central Europe as the third among the leading mental disorders and world-wide is a leading cause of disability. It is estimated that 8.3 % of the German population is depressed within a year (11.2 % women, 5.5 % men). These statistics mean that 4 million people per year are depressed in Germany alone (one year prevalence). According to the WHO, over 300 million people world-wide experience depression and in the USA the financial burden of this disorder, due to disability and work absenteeism, reaches Depression is also becoming more frequent over time and has a high risk of recidivism –particularly since its most common form, Major Depressive Disorder (DSM-5; ICD10) tends to occur in episodes. For example, 20% to 40% of people become depressed again within two years after their first depressive episode, meaning that a major aim of any therapeutic intervention should be to prevent future relapses. Depression also shows very high comorbidities with other mental and physical health conditions. Its overlap with anxiety pathology is so high that clinicians are concerned with whether the two disorder categories are indeed distinct or if they show substantial etiological overlap. Depression is also associated with heart disease and even cancer, making it a risk factor for mortality and morbidity that needs to be identified early and addressed effectively. In addition to Major Depressive Disorder, the often severe Bipolar Disorder, and the chronic form of Depression referred to as dysthymia are additional mood disorders that among them require careful differential diagnosis. They also lead to questions regarding their common or distinct etiological mechanisms. In order to gain a better understanding of Depression as a clinical disorder, one needs to look at it as a multifaceted phenomenon. Depression is a neurobehavioral condition, and one has to be up to date and have solid understanding of its biological substrate, at a genetic, neuronal, hormonal and pharmacological level. Depression is also a socio-demographic phenomenon, and one needs to examine its epidemiology, that might contain significant cues towards its clearer understanding. It is more prevalent, for example, in certain regions, climates, age groups and genders (much more prevalent in women, with age of appearance in young adulthood but also presents as a significant problem for youth and the elderly), is associated with stereotypes and stigma and can be the aftermath of crises, trauma and loss. The etiology of Depression remains under scrutiny, though recently much more knowledge is emerging from contemporary neuroimaging, genotyping and data science methods. Different neural and behavioral systems may be involved contributing to the significant heterogeneity within the disorder. Social roles, stressors, attachment patterns, family support and social networks, and individual (e.g. gender linked) vulnerabilities may contribute significantly towards increasing risk for developing depression. Different therapeutic approaches, like those stemming from the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic perspectives and those stemming from the cognitive/behavioral (2nd and 3rd wave) tradition focus on the components of etiology considered most dominant. As science progresses with clearer evidence regarding the important etiological factors and their interactions, these different perspectives, each with its own contribution, may need to take new developments into consideration, adapt and even begin to converge. These different aspects of the topic of Depression, which are central to the scientific aims of clinical scientists, but also permeate the way clinicians approach assessment, diagnosis, case formulation and treatment, become the focus of the present volume. Following a conference held at the University of Cyprus, in Nicosia, Cyprus in October 2019, which included presentations by internationally renowned experts in the field on these various aspects of Depression, the idea of extending the topics presented and discussed at the meeting into more elaborated and substantive chapters and synthesizing them into an edited volume was generated. The aim was to fill a substantive gap, with a volume that would be beneficial to a wider, interdisciplinary audience of clinicians, trainees and researchers with examine the different aspects of Depression. In this Edited volume, with contributions from prominent experts in the field, we propose to discuss the subject of conceptualizing and treating Depression and related conditions (e.g. Suicide, Bipolar Disorder) from different theoretical perspectives and after taking into consideration current research into the etiology and maintenance of this condition. Chapters on theoretical perspectives of treatment cover a wide range of approaches, that could be broadly clustered under behavioural and psychodynamic points of view. Perspectives discussed in this volume are psychodynamic therapy, 2nd waver CBT, acceptance and commitment therapy and mentalization therapy. Special topics with great relevance to treatment, include treatment in different levels of care (e.g. partial hospital setting; prevention of suicide; working with cancer patients). The book provides a unique combination of current empirical findings on etiology of depression and suicide, treatment considerations and practical recommendations, treatment in different settings and combination of different theoretical perspectives that can enrich a therapists’ repertoire of tools for understanding and approaching depression. The book describes various theoretical approaches without adhering to anyone but with an effort to highlight common underlying themes like issues of loss, self-esteem, guilt, grief and emotion regulation as these permeate the various perspectives. In this way the book presents a combination of science and practice and of various views that constitute an excellent resource of researchers, clinicians and students of mental health professions. In a final chapter the two editors, Drs. Christos Charis and Georgia Panayiotou, make an effort to impartially integrate information from the various perspectives, highlighting the utility of each approach to address specific vulnerability and etiological factors discussed in the book. In this regard, the volume stresses the idea of the need for continuous and open dialogue between perspectives, theories, levels of investigation, research areas, practitioner needs and scientific views to help make progress in treatment and address this complex and multi-faceted phenomenon in the service of patients, their carers and societies in general.

This text, a collaboration between a clinical psychologist and a cognitive psychologist, offers a cognitive account of depression.