Major Depressive Disorder

by Stephen Strakowski, Erik Nelson

Overview

Depressive disorders are among the most common conditions in the world and are the leading causes of disability, affecting millions of people. Depression is also a common secondary condition, occurring at increased rates alongside virtually any illness that impacts brain function. Because it is so common, people suffering from depression seek help from a wide variety of clinicians, including: family doctors, pediatricians, gynecologists, psychiatrists, internists, psychologists, social workers and other therapists.

In fact, depression is so common that the demand for care far exceeds the availability of psychiatrists, so that most depression is treated by other professionals in other specialty fields. For clinicians without significant experience treating depression, managing the condition can be confusing. This pocket-sized guide was specifically written with this diverse group of clinicians in mind. It provides a concise, practical and current overview of depressive disorders, including making a diagnosis, identifying important medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and describes our current understanding of the epidemiology, genetics and neurobiology of the condition. In addition to these topics, most of this book is focused on a programmatic approach toward managing depression, including subpopulations such as children or women who are pregnant. This book may also be of interest for people experiencing depression and their families to help guide treatment seeking and provide education.

Dr. Stephen Strakowski and Dr. Erik Nelson are internationally recognized and trusted experts in the study and treatment of mood disorders whose own extensive clinical experience working with people with depression guides this book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190206185
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	08/10/2015
Series:	Oxford American Psychiatry Library
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Dr. Stephen Strakowski has developed his professional career at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where he serves as a Professor and Senior Vice President, Strategy and Transformation in the UC Health System. He completed medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and during his psychiatry residency training at that institution, he developed a research and clinical interest in major depressive disorder. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at Cincinnati.

Dr. Nelson completed medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and during his psychiatry residency training at that institution he developed a research and clinical interest in major depressive disorder. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at Cincinnati where he lectures and conducts research on depression.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Making a Diagnosis of Depression

Chapter 3: Epidemiology of Depressive Disorders

Chapter 4: Illness Comorbidity and Co-occurrence with Depressive Disorders

Chapter 5: Neurophysiology of Depressive Disorders

Chapter 6: Genetics of Depression

Chapter 7: Psychopharmacology and Other Biological Therapies in the Management of Depression

Chapter 8: Psychotherapy and Related Techniques

Chapter 9: A Programmatic Approach to Treatment

Chapter 10: Managing Special Populations

Appendix

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Cameron J Risma, MD (Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services)
Description: This pocket reference is a succinct, evidence-driven guide to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of major depressive disorder.
Purpose: The authors endeavor to provide a quick reference guide with a programmatic approach to treatment in an effort to "improve the lives of people suffering from depression and to bring hope to them and their loved ones."
Audience: The primary audience is described as the "busy practitioner" as well as medical or psychology students. The authors note that patients and their families also may benefit from educational material about depression. They target these two audiences by simultaneously delivering clinically relevant, evidence-driven information alongside practical explanations of basic concepts.
Features: A brief introduction to major depressive disorder and some historical background begin the book. Acknowledging the complexity of depression, the authors then dedicate chapters to epidemiology, comorbidities, neurophysiology, and genetics. These chapters are likely the most helpful to patients and family members as they seek to understand this devastating illness. The latter half of the book develops a programmatic approach to the treatment of depression, as it reviews pharmacology and psychotherapy. The appendix includes an example mood chart as a tool to be used by patients to visualize relationships between depression and factors such as medication adherence, alcohol intake, and sleep. Overall, the book would benefit from more graphics to improve rapid reference to high-yield material, such as pharmacotherapy.
Assessment: As a resource for busy practitioners, patients, and their family members, this book excels. For practitioners, it provides an evidence-based treatment approach, including strategies for difficult scenarios such as treatment-resistant depression, suicidality, and pregnancy. For concerned family members, it includes descriptions of basic concepts as well as how to recognize and understand depression. Perhaps most importantly, it reflects the complexity and variability of depression's underpinnings, and that effective treatment of depression is as much an art as it is a science. Because it strikes this delicate balance, I would certainly recommend this to colleagues, patients, or their families seeking a quick, well-rounded education about depression. Including high-yield graphics, such as a treatment algorithm, would improve practitioners' ability to use this book in a clinical setting.

Doody's Review Service

"This book is a helpful tool for a variety of audiences. It is difficult to provide a practical and brief review of all the literature on depression, but the authors provide a useful easy-to-use guide that will be handy for most clinicians."
—PsycCRITIQUES

From the Publisher