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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
06:55
An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents
Published on: December 2, 2015
Medical co-morbidity in depressive disorders
Tami Benton1, Jeffrey Staab, Dwight L Evans
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Behavioral Health Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Bentont@email.chop.edu
Summary
Depression is common in patients with chronic medical conditions. Effective antidepressant treatments can improve medical outcomes and quality of life for these individuals.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Internal Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Depression is more prevalent in individuals with chronic medical conditions than in the general population.
- Depression contributes to increased morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs, and functional impairment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the prevalence and impact of depression in medically ill patients.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of antidepressant treatments in this population.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of major databases (Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO) from 1966-2007.
- Keywords included mood disorders, medical comorbidity, depression, and antidepressant therapy.
- Review of mechanistic studies, open-label, and randomized controlled trials.
Main Results:
- Depressive disorders are prevalent in the medically ill, with a potentially bidirectional relationship between depression and medical illness.
- Antidepressant medications demonstrate efficacy in treating depression among patients with medical comorbidities.
Conclusions:
- Depression can negatively affect the course of medical illnesses.
- Effective antidepressant treatments are available for the medically ill.
- Early detection and treatment of depression can improve medical outcomes and enhance quality of life.
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