Depression

Depression is a mental health condition marked by long-lasting sadness and lack of interest in activities. People experiencing depression may find it harder to do daily tasks and connect with others. Talking about depression may not feel comfortable, but depression is common and treatable. If you want help connecting with a mental health expert, Lyra can assist you through your Vanderbilt employee benefits. Read More

Lisa Monteggia, Barlow Family Director of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute and professor of pharmacology, and Ege Kavalali, chair of the Department of Pharmacology and William Stokes Professor of Experimental Therapeutics, have been awarded the first prize by the Anna-Monika Foundation. Read More

Researchers across four health care systems, including Vanderbilt University Medical Center, have found that increased depression polygenic scores are associated with increased white blood cell count, highlighting the importance of the immune system in the etiology of depression. Read More

October is Depression Awareness Month. Now, more than ever, it's important to take stock of your mood and mental health. Read More

Lisa Monteggia leads discovery of the gene responsible for ketamine’s long-term effects with implications for antidepressant therapeutics. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

Research led by Lisa Monteggia reveals that ketamine provides antidepressant effects by blocking key neural pathway. Est. reading time: 3 mins. Read More

Brain responses to emotional images before the pandemic predict the mental health impacts of COVID-19-related stress on young adults. Est. reading time: 3 mins. Read More

Older depressed adults show accelerated brain aging, according to a new study from Vanderbilt researchers, who suggest that the effects of depression may speed the decline in cognitive functions in older individuals. Read More

October is Depression Awareness Month. Now more than ever, it is important to take stock of your mood and mental health. Read More

Assistant Professor of Psychology and Human Development Autumn Kujawa, who studies the development of mood and anxiety disorders, has conducted one of the first longitudinal studies on mental health outcomes from COVID-19 and finds there is high potential for recovery when the pandemic situation improves. Read More

Depression in parents can lead to reduced empathy toward their children, which puts the children at risk for long-term negative impacts. Read More

Poorly functioning AMPARs have been linked to a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders including seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, major depression and autism spectrum disorder. Understanding how AMPARs are formed and operate is essential for the rational design of pharmacological compounds that, by tuning AMPAR activity up or down, could improve treatment of these conditions. Read More

Anger and increased irritability can be common issues among people who are struggling with varying degrees of depression. Read More

The Mood, Emotion and Development Lab at Vanderbilt University is conducting a study to improve treatment for teen depression. Read More

October is Depression Awareness Month. It serves as a reminder that clinical depression is a common medical illness affecting more than 16 million adults in the United States each year. Like screenings for other illnesses, depression screenings should be a routine part of health care. Read More

A Vanderbilt University Medical Center pilot study of treating late-life depression in nonsmokers with transdermal nicotine (nicotine patch) has yielded some promising results, but the study’s author cautions that more study is needed. Read More

Symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, including psychosis, depression and manic behavior, have both shared and distinguishing genetic factors, an international consortium led by researchers from Vanderbilt University and Virginia Commonwealth University is reporting. Read More

Jonathan Becker, DO, the medical director overseeing Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital’s electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) program, spends a fair amount of time explaining to patients what electroconvulsive therapy is not. Read More

Oct. 5 is National Depression Screening Day, which serves as a reminder that clinical depression is a common medical illness affecting more than 20 million American adults each year. Like screenings for other illnesses, depression screenings should be a routine part of health care. Read More

Clinicians should use a structured interview in people with Alzheimer’s disease to identify pain that might be otherwise overlooked. Read More