depression /channels/taxonomy/term/3609/all en Expert: The science behind seasonal mood changes /channels/channels/news/expert-science-behind-seasonal-mood-changes-361279 <p>Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression linked to the changing seasons, particularly during fall and winter when daylight hours decrease. The reduced sunlight and lower vitamin D levels can lead to changes in mood, energy and sleep patterns. As well, the recent change back to standard time from daylight savings can disrupt circadian rhythms, with similar results.  </p> Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:03:09 +0000 webfull 204502 at /channels Parenting programs help kids, but provide insufficient support for parents, study finds /channels/channels/news/parenting-programs-help-kids-provide-insufficient-support-parents-study-finds-360264 <p></p> <p>Parenting programs that address both mental health and parenting skills can improve children’s development, but often fall short when it comes to offering effective mental-health support for parents, new research suggests.</p> <p>“It’s a surprising contradiction,” said the study’s lead author,<a href="/newsroom/marilyn-ahun"> Marilyn Ahun</a>, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at ϲ University. “Our findings show the potential of multi-component programs, while revealing gaps that need to be addressed.”</p> Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:36:01 +0000 webfull 203350 at /channels COVID-19 lockdowns deepened struggle for work-family balance /channels/channels/news/covid-19-lockdowns-deepened-struggle-work-family-balance-334723 <p>Around the world increasing mental health inequalities between women and men following the COVID-19 pandemic represent a major public health concern. According to a new study, the lockdown measures due to the pandemic profoundly and unequally disrupted the work-family balance for many graduate students, exacerbating mental health problems.</p> Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:09:29 +0000 webfull 174623 at /channels ϲ Cares webcast: Understanding and Caring for a Person with Depression /channels/channels/event/mcgill-cares-webcast-understanding-and-caring-person-depression-327128 <p>Join us on<strong> January 13, 2021 at noon</strong> for the next webcast in our biweekly series, <a href="//www.mcgill.ca/medsimcentre/community-outreach/dementia/mcgill-cares-webcasts"><em><strong>ϲ Cares</strong></em></a>, designed to supp</p> Wed, 16 Dec 2020 22:34:39 +0000 webfull 166272 at /channels New use for an old drug: How does ketamine combat depression? /channels/channels/news/new-use-old-drug-how-does-ketamine-combat-depression-327092 <p>A group of proteins called 4E-BPs, involved in memory formation, is the key to unlocking the antidepressant effect of ketamine in the brain, according to researchers from three Canadian universities. The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03047-0">discovery</a> could lead to better and safer treatments for certain patients suffering from major depression.</p> Wed, 16 Dec 2020 16:07:12 +0000 webfull 166245 at /channels Strong social support decreases mental health problems in young adults /channels/channels/news/strong-social-support-decreases-mental-health-problems-young-adults-326716 <p>Early adulthood, a transitional life stage marked by major changes in social roles and responsibilities, can bring with it an increase of mental health problems. A team of ϲ University researchers has found that young adults who perceived higher levels of social support reported fewer mental health problems.</p> Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:00:24 +0000 webfull 165846 at /channels Promising advance in depression research /channels/channels/news/promising-advance-depression-research-321494 <p>Depression is a common psychiatric disorder and one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Antidepressants are the first-line treatment for moderate to severe major depressive episodes. Despite their effectiveness, only 40% of patients respond to the first antidepressant they try. A recent paper in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15423-5">Nature Communication</a> strongly suggests that a particular protein, GPR56, is involved in the biology of depression and the effect of antidepressants.</p> Wed, 08 Apr 2020 13:46:01 +0000 webfull 159971 at /channels A new molecular target identified in depression /channels/channels/news/new-molecular-target-identified-depression-287058 <p>The discovery of a new mechanism involved in depression – and a way to target it with a drug as effective as classical antidepressants -- provides new understanding of this illness and could pave the way for treatments with fewer side effects.</p> Mon, 07 May 2018 15:08:13 +0000 webfull 137839 at /channels Flawed research methods exaggerate the prevalence of depression /channels/channels/news/flawed-research-methods-exaggerate-prevalence-depression-283951 <p>An over-reliance on self-report screening questionnaires, wherein patients essentially define their own condition, in place of diagnostic interviews conducted by a health care professional, has resulted in over-estimation of the prevalence of people with depression in many research studies – often by a factor of two to three times. This is according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The study found that over 75% of recent research on depression prevalence has been based exclusively on patient completed questionnaires.</p> Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:36:46 +0000 webfull 134180 at /channels Speeding up SSRIs /channels/channels/news/speeding-ssris-269228 <p>For people suffering from depression, a day without treatment can seem like a lifetime. A new study explains why the most commonly prescribed antidepressants can take as long as six weeks to have an effect. The findings could one day lead to more effective and faster acting drugs.</p> Thu, 03 Aug 2017 19:14:13 +0000 webfull 129489 at /channels New research offers hope for faster acting antidepressants /channels/channels/news/new-research-offers-hope-faster-acting-antidepressants-269183 <p>For people suffering from depression, a day without treatment can seem like a lifetime. A new study explains why the most commonly prescribed antidepressants can take as long as six weeks to have an effect. The findings could one day lead to more effective and faster acting drugs.</p> Thu, 03 Aug 2017 15:19:41 +0000 webfull 129485 at /channels Vulnerability to depression linked to noradrenaline /channels/news/vulnerability-depression%E2%80%89linked-noradrenaline-258606 <p><em><strong>By Bruno Geoffroy, <a href="https://www.ciusss-ouestmtl.gouv.qc.ca/en/home/">Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal</a></strong></em></p> <p><em>First-ever connection between noradrenergic neurons and vulnerability to depression</em></p> Mon, 15 Feb 2016 17:08:32 +0000 webfull 116080 at /channels Towards a better understanding of depression /channels/news/towards-better-understanding-depression-252415 <p> Fri, 22 May 2015 13:56:14 +0000 webfull 110086 at /channels Plugged in but powered down /channels/news/plugged-powered-down-234440 Tue, 01 Apr 2014 14:49:39 +0000 webfull 102155 at /channels How depression may compound risk of type 2 diabetes /channels/news/how-depression-may-compound-risk-type-2-diabetes-260358 <p><strong><em>By Fergus Grieve, <a href="/newsroom">ϲ Newsroom</a></em></strong></p> <p><em>Depression, metabolic factors combine to boost risk of developing diabetes, study finds </em></p> <p>Depression may compound the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in people with early warning signs of metabolic disease, according to researchers from ϲ University, l'Université de Montréal, the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal and the University of Calgary.</p> Tue, 12 Apr 2016 14:34:47 +0000 webfull 118136 at /channels