top of page

What is Major Depressive Disorder?



Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), also referred as depression, is a serious medical illness that disrupts a person’s mood, behavior, thought processes, apart from degrading the physical health. A depressed person may gain or lose weight, eat more or less than usual, have difficulty concentrating, and have trouble sleeping or sleep more than usual. The person can appear slowed down or agitated and restless. The symptoms can be quite noticeable to others. A particularly painful symptom of this illness is an unshakable feeling of worthlessness and guilt. The person may feel guilty about a specific life experience or may feel general guilt not related to anything in particular.

Psychological treatments (also known as talking therapies) have been found to be an effective way to treat depression. This therapy can help patient in changing the thinking patterns and improve coping skills so an individual better equipped to deal with life's stresses and conflicts. As well as supporting in recovery, psychological therapies can help in stay well by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behavior.

The current mainstay of therapies include the Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (except fluvoxamine), Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Biomarkers are measurable indicators that could help diagnosing MDD or predicting treatment response. As per DelveInsight estimation, in upcoming years, new techniques, such as proteomics and metabolomics, which allow researchers to approach the studying of MDD with new directions and make new discoveries will be addressed.

Therapies based on nociceptin receptor antagonist, Botox, selective orexin 2 receptor antagonist are currently under development. If these therapies are ultimately successfully commercialized they have the potential to transform the current standard of care for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients.

The increase in Market Size is a direct consequence of increasing prevalent population of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients in the 7MM, along with expected entry of premium price asset such nociception receptor antagonist , Botox, selective orexin 2 receptor antagonist will have impact on market size.

Depression is one of the most common and serious mental disorders. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study of the WHO, it is one of the main causes of disease-related disability worldwide and accounts for a large part of the global disease burden. Due to its high prevalence and far-reaching consequences for individuals and society as a whole, depression and the care for those affected by it are of major public health relevance.

The various major American and European guidelines for the treatment of depression provide similar basic principles of treatment, which include individualizing the treatment plan, preparing the patient for potential long-term treatment, providing measurement-based care, and treating to remission.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) updated its guideline on the treatment of major depressive disorder. The new evidence-based guideline summarizes recommendations on the use of antidepressants and other drug therapies; psychotherapy, including cognitive behavior therapy; and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).

Psychological treatments (also known as talking therapies) have been found to be an effective way to treat depression. This therapy can help patient in changing the thinking patterns and improve coping skills so an individual better equipped to deal with life's stresses and conflicts. As well as supporting in recovery, psychological therapies can help in stay well by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behavior.

In cases of MDD severity, if it is determined to be mild to moderate then, the initial treatment consists of an evidence-based mono-therapy. When the patient prefers psychotherapy, one of the following evidence-based interventions can be offered based on patient preference and availability: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Behavioral therapy/behavioral activation (BT/BA), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and Problem-solving therapy (PST).

For many years, tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were the first-line treatment choice for depression, but recent studies indicate that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are now the initial choice of antidepressant in many countries and are the most commonly prescribed group of antidepressant drugs

Bupropion and mirtazapine are also first-line treatment options for patients with MDD.. Bupropion may be considered for patients with MDD who desire to stop smoking, although it is contraindicated in patients with a seizure disorder or history of anorexia nervosa or bulimia and can potentially worsen anxiety. Bupropion and mirtazapine are treatment options for patients who have experienced intolerable sexual side effects with other antidepressants (e.g., decreased desire).

Desvenlafaxine is the third SNRI to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for use in MDD. It is the primary active metabolite of the most widely prescribed SNRI, venlafaxine, like venlafaxine and duloxetine (i.e., the second most widely prescribed SNRI). This molecule inhibits the serotonin transporter preferentially to the norepinephrine transporter, though at therapeutic doses it likely has effects on both neurotransmitter systems.

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page