Identifying a Subtype of Depression: Insights from Brain Scans and Treatment Response

2023-06-30 05:44:47

In the study, published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Openthe researchers identify a specific subtype of depression that appears to occur in more than a quarter of severely depressed patients.

Studies have shown that patients with this subtype have more pronounced symptoms of insomnia, difficulty planning, self-control, focusing, and suppressing inappropriate behavior.

Scans also showed reduced activity in certain brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex and cerebral cortex, which control some of these tasks.

Help from brain scans

The study was conducted in 1,008 adults with previously unmedicated depression who were prescribed three commonly used types of antidepressants that act on the brain neurotransmitter serotonin, also known as SSRIs.

More than 700 participants completed the eight-week trial, during which the researchers measured their depressive symptoms both before and after treatment.

The participants were also presented with a series of cognitive tasks that measured their working memory, verbal memory, decision speed and level of attention.

In addition, a group of 96 people had their brains scanned while they had to press a button as quickly as possible.

The researchers found that 27 percent of patients had the special profile with more prominent symptoms, such as cognitive delay and insomnia.

They also found that this particular group of patients seemed to benefit less from SSRI drugs and that the drug sertraline appeared to be the least helpful for this group.

More targeted treatments

However, the team emphasizes that there may be other factors that influence patients’ cognitive decline and that we should therefore not lump them together.

Still, they hope brain scans and tests can help diagnose the different subtypes, as more targeted treatments for the condition are needed as soon as possible.

“I often witness people suffering, losing hope and becoming suicidal as they go through these trial-and-error processes,” behavioral scientist Laura Hack tells me. Sciencealert

“And that’s because we’re starting with medication that has the same mechanism of action for everyone with depression, even though depression is very different in nature,” she explains.