Depression Flashcards
Biological, cognitive and psychotic features
1. Biological Early morning awakening Loss of libido Reduced appetite and weight loss Psychomotor retardation Worse in the morning 2. Cognitive Poor concentration and memory Poor self esteem Guilt Hopelessness Suicide or self harm 3. Psychotic Generally mood congruent
Differential diagnosis
1. Mood disorders Depression Recurrent Dysthymia BAD Cyclothymia 2. Schizoaffective 3. GMC 4. Psychoactive substance 5. Psychiatric (other) Psychotic Anxiety Adjustment Eating Personality Dementia
Prescribed drugs causing low mood
1. AntiHTN Beta blockers Methyl dopa 2. Steroids CS Oral contraceptives 3. Neurological L-Dopa Carbamazepine 4. Analgesics Opioid Indomethacin 5. Other Antipsychotics Interferon
Medical conditions causing low mood
1. Neurological Parkinsons MS Huntingtons Spinal cord Stroke Head injury Cerebral tumors 2. Endocrinological Cushing Addisons Thyroid Parathyroid Menstrual related 3. Infectious Hepatitis EBV HSV Brucella Typhoid HIV Syphillis 4. Other Malignancy->panreatits Chronic pain SLE RA Renal failure Porphyria Vitamin IHD
History
- Cheerful or low in modd
- Enjoy things
- Very tired
Biological - Worse in morning, wake up early, restless/slow, poor sex drive
Cognitive - How do you see things in the future, feel life’s not worth living, concentrate
Suicidal risk
Associated symptoms
Substance use
Features of an underlying medical condition
Examination
- General
- Features of underlying endocrine, infection
- Neurological
Investigations
- K10
- Collateral
- Mood diary
- FBC->anemia, infection, alcohol, thyroid, liver
- UEC->baseline
- LFTs->baseline, alcohol, infection
- TSH
- CMP
- CRP/ESR
- Vitamin B12
- UDS
- ECG
13 CT
Purpose of physical investigation
- Exclude possible medical / substance related causes
- Establish baseline before administering treatment
- Assess renal and liver->metabolism
- Screen for physical consequences
Depression criteria
Five or more symptoms during same 2 week perior, change from previous functioning and one has to be either depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure
- Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
- Diminished interest/pleasure
- Poor concentration
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Reduced appetite with weight loss/weight gain
- Inappropriate feelings of guilt
- Fatigue
- Recurrent thoughts of death or self harm
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
+Causes functional impairment
+Not explained by anything else
Mild= few beyond 5 Moderate= >5 Severe= >>5 + intense functional impairment
Etiology
- Genetics
- Early life experience
Parental separation
Neglect
Abuse
Post natal depression in mother - Acute stress
- Chronic stress
- Neurobiology
->Malfunctioning between brain regions->hippocampus, amygdala, frontal cortex
->decreased activity of 5HT, NE and DA at the level of the
synapse; changes in GABA and glutamate; changes in brain circuitry
->neuroendocrine dysfunction: increased production of corticotropin causing excessive HPA axis activity
->neuroanatomy: smaller frontal lobes and hippocampal volume; increased ventricle sizes
->neurophysiologic: decreased REM latency and slow-wave sleep; increased REM length secondary to GMC - Personality
Neuroticism
BPD
OCD
Management of major depressive episode
1. Treatment setting Most will be in-home \++Psychotic, suicidal, self neglect->Admission 2. Lifestyle Sleep hygeine Diet, exercise Alcohol and smoking, substance cesssation 3. Suicide risk management
Mild:
- Psychosocial: CBT, IPT, psychodynamic, family/marital. mindfullness
- Self help CBT
- Structured group therapy
- Social->vocational, social skills training
Moderate/severe:
- May need admission
- Psychosocial
- Individual CBT, social skills training
- Interpersonal therapy
- Antidepressant
- ECT
Considerations when choosing an anti-depressant
- Side effects
- Previous response
- Safety in overdose
- Atypical depression->MAOI?
- Associated psychiatric
- Concomitant physical illness
How long with antidepressants until effect, persist with and for at least
Takes 2-3 weeks before effect, continue for 4-6 weeks to determine response before changing
Continue for at least 6 months
Not responding to correct drug, dose and time
- Reassess diagnosis
- Consider psychological therapy
- Increase dose
- Change to another one->same class or different
- Augmenting with lithium or another antiD, antipsychotic
- Consider ECT
Prognosis in depression
- Self limiting
- Without treatment will usually remit in 6 months
- Often relapsing->80%
- Important risk factor for suicide 20X greater risk
one year after diagnosis of a MDE without treatment: 40% of individuals still have symptoms
that are sufficiently severe to meet criteria for a full MDE, 20% continue to have some symptoms
that no longer meet criteria for a MDE, 40% have no mood disorder