Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Managing treatment-resistant major depression.

J Craig Nelson¹

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0984, USA.

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

|March 11, 2003

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A Randomized Trial Testing a Novel Mind and Body Intervention for Depression: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Whole-Body Hyperthermia (WBH).

Global advances in integrative medicine and health·2025

Same author

A Systematic Review of Antidepressants and Psychotherapy Commonly Used in the Treatment of Late Life Depression for Their Effects on Cognition.

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·2024

Same author

Commentary on Differential Psychological Treatment Effects in Patients With Late-Life Depression and a History of Childhood Maltreatment.

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·2024

Same author

Feasibility and acceptability of an integrated mind-body intervention for depression: whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group·2024

Same author

Hoarding Symptoms in Late Life Depression are Associated With Greater Executive Dysfunction and Disability and Poorer Response to Depression Treatment.

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·2023

Same author

Predictors of response and remission in patients with treatment-resistant depression: A post hoc pooled analysis of two acute trials of esketamine nasal spray.

Psychiatry research·2023

Many patients with unipolar depression do not fully respond to antidepressants. Switching, augmenting, or combining medications may help treatment-resistant depression, but more research is needed to confirm efficacy.

Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Pharmacology
Clinical Medicine

Background:

A significant number of patients with nonpsychotic unipolar depression exhibit partial or no response to standard antidepressant therapies.
Treatment resistance is a common challenge in managing unipolar depression, necessitating alternative therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the existing evidence and clinical considerations for switching, augmenting, or combining antidepressant agents in patients with treatment-resistant unipolar depression.
To highlight the need for further controlled research comparing these strategies.

Main Methods:

Review of empirical evidence and clinical guidelines.
Analysis of controlled studies on antidepressant treatment strategies for nonpsychotic unipolar depression.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

Evidence supporting switching, augmenting, or combining antidepressants is inconsistent.
Demonstrating the superiority of these strategies over dose/duration adjustments of the initial treatment has been challenging.
A lack of controlled studies limits definitive conclusions on efficacy.

Conclusions:

Switching, augmenting, and combining antidepressant agents are potential strategies for treatment-resistant depression.
Further high-quality research is required to establish the efficacy and optimal use of these strategies.
Identifying patient subgroups who benefit most from specific treatment modifications is crucial.