PS2: depressive disorders

Question 1

depressive disorders

Answer 1

characterized by an abnormally long period of sadness or intense feeling

Question 2

major depressive disorder

Answer 2

mood disorder characterized by at least one major depressive episode

Question 3

major depressive episode

Answer 3

patient must experience feelings of depression or sadness for at least two weeks and experience at least five symptoms from the following list:
-low or depressed mood
-anhedonia (loss of interest in previously interesting activities)
-changes in appetite and weight gain or loss
-sleep disturbances
-persistent feelings of guilt
-difficulty concentrating
-thoughts of death or suicide
-decreased energy in day-to-day activity

Question 4

monoamine theory of depression

Answer 4

describes a key physiological feature associated with depression: decreased levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine

Question 5

dysthymia

Answer 5

diagnosed in individuals who experience a depressed and low mood for at least 2 years but who do not experience other symptoms of major depressive disorder

Question 6

seasonal affective disorder

Answer 6

lack of sunlight during the winter causes disruptions in melatonin metabolism, thereby affecting mood