Depression (Clinical)

[Michaelangelica]

Job stress major cause of depression
Tuesday, 03 June 2008
University of Melbourne

Almost one in six cases of depression among working Victorians are caused by job stress, amounting to more than 21,000 cases of preventable depression in Victoria each year, a new University of Melbourne study shows.

The study, led by Associate Professor Tony LaMontagne from the McCaughey Centre: VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing at the University of Melbourne with research partners from Monash and British Columbia universities, is published in June in the international journal BMC Public Health.

It estimates that:

Job stress major cause of depression*(ScienceAlert)

Obesity linked to anxiety and depression
Wednesday, 02 July 2008
University of Otago

Mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are associated with obesity according to a new study from the University of Otago, Wellington. The research involving nearly 13 000 New Zealanders shows there are associations between obesity and some anxiety disorders, and less strong links with obesity and depression. This is the first study ever that has examined links between all anxiety disorders and obesity.

Obesity linked to anxiety and depression*(ScienceAlert)

[Michaelangelica]

Some interesting new stuff coming out in the controversial field of orthomolecular psychiatry
Look at B 12 for example
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/he...in&oref=slogin
Some people don't have enough "intrinsic factor" to keep up adequate doses of B12.
Like vitamin C, B12 is water soluble, not stored much in the body and is available mostly from animal sources.

Elevated homocysteine, as a result of folic acid and B12 deficiency,
is toxic to the nervous system and has been linked to depression, schizophrenia,
Conditions for B12-Folate
•. . .
• Depression
•. . .
• Sulfite sensitivity
• Tinnitus
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline in the elderly
. . .
: B12 deficiency often occurs due to a lack of intrinsic factor in the gut.
. . .
6
A Swedish study on 64 patients with pernicious anemia and other B12 deficiency
symptoms were treated with 1000 mcgs. of oral B12 daily. In all patients studied over a 3 year period, the researchers observed complete normalization of serum levels and liver stores for Vitamin B12 as well as full clinical remission

Microsoft PowerPoint - Ultra B12 Folate
Intrinsic factor

Deficiency of vitamin B12 due to dietary insufficiency is uncommon, but this vitamin can be deficient due to a condition that prevents its normal absorption. Because the B12 molecule is particularly large, in order to be absorbed by the body it has to be linked to a protein known as ‘intrinsic factor’, which is produced by the lining of the stomach. The combined ‘complex’ is then absorbed into the blood when the food reaches the small intestine.
If the cells that produce intrinsic factor are destroyed, or the intrinsic factor is inactivated, vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed. This situation may occur due to an autoimmune disease in which the body produces antibodies against the cells that produce the intrinsic factor or against the intrinsic factor itself.
Women are more commonly affected than men and this type of autoimmunity tends to run in families.
The intrinsic factor-producing cells can also fail to function efficiently in a patient with ulcers, stomach cancer or other conditions such as Crohn's disease that affect the digestive system. The condition that results in all these cases is called pernicious anaemia, for which the treatment is regular injections of vitamin B12

.
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/reso....php?id=192828

Causes of insufficiency + A Genetic Factor?

Classic pernicious anemia is caused by the failure of gastric parietal cells to produce sufficient IF to permit the absorption of adequate quantities of dietary vitamin B-12. Other disorders that interfere with the absorption and metabolism of vitamin B-12 can produce cobalamin (Cbl) deficiency, with the development of a macrocytic anemia and neurological complications.
Summary of causes of Cbl deficiency

* Inadequate dietary intake (ie, vegetarian diet)
* Atrophy or loss of gastric mucosa (eg, pernicious anemia, gastrectomy, ingestion of caustic material, hypochlorhydria, histamine 2 [H2] blockers)
* Functionally abnormal IF
* Inadequate proteolysis of dietary Cbl
* Insufficient pancreatic protease (eg, chronic pancreatitis, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome)
* Bacterial overgrowth in intestine (eg, blind loop, diverticula)
* Disorders of ileal mucosa (eg, resection, ileitis, sprue, lymphoma, amyloidosis, absent IF-Cbl receptor, Imerslünd-Grasbeck syndrome, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, TCII deficiency, use of certain drugs)
* Disorders of plasma transport of cobalamin (eg, TCII deficiency, R binder deficiency)
* Dysfunctional uptake and use of cobalamin by cells (eg, defects in cellular deoxyadenosylcobalamin [AdoCbl] and methylcobalamin [MeCbl] synthesis)

Frequency
United States

The adult form of pernicious anemia is most prevalent among individuals of either Celtic (ie, English, Irish, Scottish) or Scandinavian origin. In these groups, 10-20 cases per 100,000 people occur per year. Pernicious anemia is reported less commonly in people of other racial backgrounds. Although the disease was once believed to be rare in Native American people and uncommon in black people, recent observations suggest that the incidence was underestimated.
International

Historically, pernicious anemia was believed to occur predominantly in people of northern European descent. During recent years, it has become apparent that occurrence of pernicious anemia in all racial and ethnic groups is more common than was previously recognized.

eMedicine - Pernicious Anemia : Article Excerpt by Marcel E Conrad

Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12
. . .On the basis of current data, we suggest that oral doses of both folic acid (800 µg daily) and vitamin B12 (1 mg daily) should be tried to improve treatment outcome in depression.

Key Words: cobalamin • depression • diet • folate • folic acid • homocysteine • one carbon-metabolism • S-adenosylmethionine • vitamin B12

Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12 -- Coppen and Bolander-Gouaille 19 (1): 59 -- Journal of Psychopharmacology

sometimes a blood test will show enlarged red blood cells, which can be an indication of Vitamin deficiency

[Michaelangelica]

An intersting article on vitamins and minerals that influence depression.
The B12 Celtic link is interesting
NEWS2U Health & Wellness

if you are a depressed Celt, lacking intrinsic factor.
You will need B12 injections or this new invention
Vitamin B12 Patch: Revolutionary Vitamin B12 Supplement.

[Michaelangelica]

WebMD's Symptom Finder: Physical Symptoms of Depression - Stomach

Digestive problems, stomach pain, and appetite changes are caused by many things. They can be signs of medical problems such as ulcers, gallbladder problems, and reflux disease. They can also be caused by dietary problems and too little exercise. Often, they occur when we're under stress. But they may also be symptoms of depression. See a doctor for a medical evaluation to determine the cause of your symptoms.

When people are depressed, they sometimes develop digestive problems, including diminished appetite, nausea, and constipation.. Worry, anxiety, and stress can lead to intestinal difficulties. Also, depressed people may not eat enough, they may eat too much, and they may get little exercise. All this can affect the stomach and intestinal tract to cause problems.

Keeping a symptom diary can help you identify your pattern and understand what may be triggering your symptoms. Take the diary and this page to your doctor to discuss what may be causing your symptoms.

For more information, see Recognizing the Physical Symptoms of Depression

WebMD's Symptom Finder: Physical Symptoms of Depression - Stomach

[Michaelangelica]

New research could beat depression

Tuesday, 09 December 2008
Western Australian Institute of Medical Research

Scientists could lower the rate of depression in
people over 70 years old by reducing the amount of
the amino acid in their blood stream.

In a discovery that may help reduce the burden of depression in later life, West Australian researchers have found a new link between the condition and the amino acid homocysteine.
. . ,.
"We've now found that the MTHFR gene, which we knew contributed to increasing the basal concentration of homocysteine by 20 per cent, also increases the risk of depression by about 20 percent in older people."

"These results suggest that if we are able to reduce the plasma concentration of homocysteine by one fifth, we can reduce the number of elderly Australians who are affected by depression by the same amount."

New research could beat depression*(ScienceAlert)

[Michaelangelica]

Augmentation and Combination Strategies in Resistant Depression
Augmentation strategies involve adding an agent that is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an antidepressant, while combination strategies involve adding an FDA-approved antidepressant.

Low folic acid levels are associated with depression. Low folate also predicts reduced response to treatment and increased risk of relapse.
One randomized, double-blind study found that adding 500 mcg of folate to fluoxetine therapy enhanced response in women. Men were not responsive to folate, but the dose may have been too low.

A meta-analysis of omega-3 fatty acid found evidence for efficacy in depression; however, the 10 studies included bipolar samples and monotherapy as well as augmentation trials.

A preliminary study of antidepressant augmentation with an omega-3 fatty acid in patients with breakthrough unipolar depression showed significant benefits versus placebo augmentation (p < .001).

The article also looks at various combinations of drugs used to treat depression
eg

3). A double-blind study of the combination of mirtazapine and paroxetine in 62 depressed patients found the combination to be significantly more effective than either monotherapy.

However the author comments on how little research has been done in this area

Of the augmentation and combination strategies discussed, several are supported by evidence; however, few are supported by large studies with well-defined treatment resistance.

Seems amazing given the widespread nature of this disease!
(I have removed numbered references to research papers from the quoted article)
Augmentation and Combination Strategies in Resistant Depression

[Racoon]

So where does simply taking a walk rank in all those studies Mike??
Best remedy for depression is a walk in the woods.

You can claim thats only temporary, but so are all the drugs and voodoo-hoodoo those peeps are sayin.

Its not that difficult to understand.
Start walking.
if you stop and feel depressed?? then keep walking.

cheap, healthy remedy.

Keep walking, and it'll cure obesity too.

Somehow pharmaceutical science won't cure Humans evolutionary ability and need to walk, jog, or run ...

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Racoon

So where does simply taking a walk rank in all those studies Mike??
Best remedy for depression is a walk in the woods.

You can claim thats only temporary, but so are all the drugs and voodoo-hoodoo those peeps are sayin.

Its not that difficult to understand.
Start walking.
if you stop and feel depressed?? then keep walking.

cheap, healthy remedy.

Keep walking, and it'll cure obesity too.

Somehow pharmaceutical science won't cure Humans evolutionary ability and need to walk, jog, or run ...

Rating
I would think very high

Any sort of physical activity is helpful, even getting out of bed.

[pamela]

"even getting out of bed"
and that would indeed be the hardest movement for someone in deep depression
The hiking and walking idea is wonderful. When i am on a hike, all my stresses fade away. Being surrounded by nature and the various sounds that accompany it, does wonders for my psyche.
This of course, is not a cure, but can be advantageous if applied

[Michaelangelica]