3 Studies on Major Depressive Disorder: Physical, Pharmacologic, and Neuromodulatory Interventions Explored
Findings on the efficacy of treatments for MDD include the favorable effects of exercise, of CBT, and the robust outcomes of ECT among neuromodulatory modalities.
Psychological interventions for MDD prevention. Objective: Assess the efficacy of psychological interventions in preventing major depressive disorder (MDD) onset in at-risk adults with subthreshold depressive symptoms
In patients with subthreshold depressive symptoms of MDD, psychological intervention reduced incidence by 43% post-treatment, 42% at 6 months, 33% at 12 months
For more information: Buntrock C, Harrer M, Sprenger AA, et al. Psychological interventions to prevent the onset of major depression in adults: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2024;11(12):990-1001.
Exercise modalities for treatment of major depressive disorder. Objective: Determine the most effective exercise types for alleviating MDD symptoms.
Overall effect of exercise on MDD included moderate symptom reductions for walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, mixed aerobic exercises, tai chi or qigong.
Exercise appeared equally effective for people with and without comorbidities and with different baseline levels of depression.
For more information: Noetel M, Sanders T, Gallardo-Gómez D, et al. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2024;384.
Neuromodulatory treatments for TRD. Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of antidepressant treatments for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), which affects 50% of those with MDD.
6 of 25 treatments for MMD delivered significantly higher response rates vs placebo: electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), minocycline, theta-burst stimulation (TBS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), ketamine, aripiprazole.
For more information: Saelens J, Gramser A, Watzal V, et al. Relative effectiveness of antidepressant treatments in treatment-resistant depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Neuropsychopharmacol. Published online December 30, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41386-024-02044-5
The 3 recent studies reviewed here explore some of the primary interventions in wide use for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and their efficacy. MDD is estimated to affect more than 21 million US adults, roughly 8.4% of the population aged 18 years and older.1 Research shows, however, that nearly half of those with MDD are not receiving treatment1 and of those who are being treated, approximately one-third have treatment resistant disease.2
Among the findings reported across these 3 studies are a 33% to 43% reduction in onset of MDD among people who engaged in cognitive behavioral therapy, the superiority of electroconvulsive therapy to other neurmodulatory interventions for treatment resistant depression, and the comparative effects of different types of exercise on clinical depression and outcomes by demographics. Links are provided to the full papers for each for additional reading.
