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Treatment for depression and change in mood instability
Rudy C Bowen1, Jan Mahmood, Ali Milani
1University of Saskatchewan, Canada. r.bowen@usask.ca
Journal of Affective Disorders
|August 3, 2010
Summary
Mood instability (MI) in depression patients did not improve with standard psychiatric treatment. However, reducing mood instability predicted better outcomes for depression severity.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Mood Disorders
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Mood varies by severity and instability (MI).
- Research on treating mood instability is limited compared to severity.
- This study examines MI changes in depressed patients receiving community psychiatric treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess changes in mood instability (MI) during community psychiatric treatment for depression.
- To investigate the relationship between changes in MI and depression severity.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of standard psychiatric treatments on mood instability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the MINI for diagnoses.
- Administered the Mood Disorders Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T).
- Calculated MI using visual analogue scales (VAS) for depression and anxiety, rated twice daily for a week and reassessed after 3-6 months of treatment.
Main Results:
- Patients showed improvement in depression (BDI) and anxiety (STAI-T) severity.
- No significant improvement was observed in mood instability (MI).
- Changes in MI were found to predict changes in depression severity (BDI).
Conclusions:
- Mood instability (MI) did not consistently respond to 3-6 month psychiatric treatments for depression and anxiety.
- Further research with longer durations and comprehensive treatments may be needed to impact MI.
- Improving the treatment of mood instability could lead to better outcomes in major depression.
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