Mood Disorders

Question 1

Depression symptom vs syndrome
Superego perspective of depression
2 main symptoms of MDD

Answer 1

• depressed mood can be irritable mood in children and adolescents

Question 2

MDD in
- preschool
- school-age
- preteens/teens

Question 3

Grief vs Depression
- Feelings
- Persistence
- Thoughts
- Guilt
- Death

Question 4

MDD prevalence
Onset
Average episode length
Recurrence rate

Answer 4

2-8% 4-18 years old
13-15 yrs old
8 months (can be longer if parent has history)
25% in 1 year, 40% 2 yrs, 70% 5 yrs

Question 5

(MDD)
Gender prevalence + causes (3)
Excessive empathy, compliance, overcontrol (Keenan & Hipwell)

Answer 5

Females 2-3x more likely but symptoms same (may be bcuz of estrogen fluctuations, social tendency of girls to talk about problems with others, wider activation in limbic system makes it harder to diffuse intense emotions)

Question 6

Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) or dysthymia
- Diff w/ MDD (length, symptoms, onset)
- Characterized by what symptom

Question 7

Disruptive mood regulation disorder
- Age and gender prevalence %
- Age of onset
- Diffs between DMDD and ODD (irritability, ADHD, delinquent, social impairment, other symptoms)
- What happens if both criteria are met?

Answer 7

2-5% higher in males, school aged
Less than 10 years old

Question 8

DMDD
- Brain regions (2)
- Cognitive bias
- Emotion recognition bias

Answer 8

Anterior cingulate cortex (high activity; high stress/frustration)
Frontal lobe / striatal brain regions (low activity; bad planning in effective ways)

Focus attention on threatening stim
Misinterpret actions and expressions of others

Question 9

Mood disorders:
- Behavioural theory
- Cognitive theory

Answer 9

Lack of response-contingent positive reinforcement
—
- Selective attentional biases
- Hopelessness theory: Prone to negative attributional style (blame self for negative events)
- Information-processing bias
- Negative cognitive triad (self, future, world)

Question 10

Etiology:
- Genetic (heritability, temperament)
- Monoamine hypothesis (Dopamine transporter gene, serotonin transporter gene)
- Brain abnormalities (4) and cortical thinning
- Family influence

Answer 10

30-45% heritability
Temperament likely inherited (negative one can enhance negative emotions)
—
Serotonin, norepeniphrine, dopamine
- Includes emotion regulation, social functioning, positive affect
- Serotonin theory debunked bcuz not all ppl w/ depression show low serotonin
- Teens experiencing parental rejection had increased risk of depression if they inherited 2 minor alleles of DA transporter gene
- Teens experiencing mid-high social stress had increased risk of depression if they inherited a short S allele for serotonin transporter gene
—
Amygdala, cingulate, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus
Right hemisphere
—
Parents depressed: Interferes w/ ability to meet the child’s needs
Child depressed: Family more critical and punitive

Question 11

Links to mood disorders:
- Self-control and emotion regulation
- Relationship problems (low social status, psychosocial behav, relationship problems (4))
- Stressful life events (The kindling hypothesis: Stress sensitization)

Answer 11

• Prolonged emotional distress or maternal negative moods may have regulation problems or use avoidant strategies to regulate distress
• Teens also tend to have lower self-control in dealing w/ social problems (turning to alcohol/drugs)
  —
• low social status -> Socially helpless or aggressive behav
• Depression impairs psychosocial functioning, which increases mood problems
• Depression caused by 1+ of the following: grief/loss of loved one, role transitions, role disputes, interpersonal deficits
  —
• Predictive factor w/ number and younger age, but 20-50% don’t have clear stressor
• Kindling hypothesis: 1st ep linked to specific stressor (causing changes in bio processes and heightening reactivity to stress). 2nd ep triggered by nonsevere stress/minor events

Question 12

Danielle case study:
- Which disorder
- Symptoms (4)
- Explain her cognition based on Beck’s cognitive triad
- How CBT can treat her (3)

Answer 12

MDD (has no manic episodes, symptoms occurs everyday)
——
- Anhedonia
- Depressed mood
- Fatigue
- Worthlessness
——
- Self: Thinks she’s not good at anything
- Future: Doesn’t think she can ever play soccer as much as she did at home
- World: Doesn’t think other girls like her because she’s new
——
- Help monitor mood and set goals
- Cognitive restructuring (look at evidence for cognitions)
- Social info processing training