CBT for depression in primary care: gold standard, or one option among many?

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Does CBT really outperform other treatments for depression in primary care settings? A recent systematic review suggests patients may have more options than we think.

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Is atypical depression a clinically and genetically distinct subtype?

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A large Australian study suggests that atypical depression is genetically, metabolically and clinically distinct, with poorer response to SSRIs and SNRIs.

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Psilocybin-assisted therapy for difficult-to-treat depression: underwhelming, but still vital?

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The EPISODE trial of psychedelic-assisted therapy for ‘treatment-resistant depression’ finds only modest effects, with a few clear responders, but lingering methodological questions.

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Targeting inflammation in depression: a proof-of-concept worth following

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A single dose of tocilizumab cleared inflammation in depressed patients, but did it ease their symptoms? A proof-of-concept RCT with cautious promise.

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MDMA-assisted therapy for depression: a promising but early first step

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A small proof-of-principle trial suggests MDMA-assisted therapy may be feasible and effective for depression, but open-label design and a highly pre-treated sample urge caution.

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Coercive control and intimidation: stronger links to adult mental health than physical violence

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Non-physical domestic violence (intimidation, control, property damage) in childhood showed stronger associations with adult mental health disorders than physical violence in large Australian study.

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Is depression a cause or consequence? Using genetics to untangle causal relationships

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This study used Mendelian randomisation to test potential causal relationships between depression and 137 traits. Depression liability was linked to somatic diseases, inflammation, suicide risk, insomnia, lower cognitive function and functional impairments, though findings require validation.

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The genetic link behind sleep problems, cognitive dysfunction, and neuroticism in ‘treatment-resistant depression’

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A big new study suggests that certain genetic traits—like insomnia risk and neuroticism—may make depression harder to treat, while protective traits include education and cognitive ability.

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Do psychiatric disorder genes overlap with their drug targets? And does this matter?

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Psychiatric disorders are highly heritable, but are the genes we identify in GWAS the same ones our medications target? This new study digs into the overlap and raises questions about how we develop treatments.

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Collaborative care for depression: what are the key components?

Collaborative care is a complex intervention for chronic disease that has been shown to be significantly more effective for depression than usual care. Yet, implementation in routine practice is rare.

Despite strong evidence, collaborative care remains underused in the NHS. This blog explores new findings that highlight which components of the model are most effective in reducing depression symptoms.

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