Melancholic depression

Meditation by Domenico Fetti 1618
Specialty| Psychiatry
Symptoms| Low mood, low self-esteem, fatigue, insomnia, anorexia, anhedonia, lack of mood reactivity, worse mood in the morning[1]
Complications| Self harm, suicide
Usual onset| Early adulthood
Causes| Genetic, environmental, and psychological factors
Risk factors| Family history, trauma
Treatment| Counseling, antidepressant medication, electroconvulsive therapy

Melancholic depression, or depression with melancholic features, is a DSM-IV and DSM-5 specifier of depressive disorders. This type of depression has specific symptoms that make it different from the standard clinical depression list of symptoms.[2] Furthermore, melancholic depression has a specific subset of causes and can respond differently to treatment than other clinical depression types.

## Contents

* 1 Classification
* 2 Signs and symptoms
* 3 Causes
* 4 Treatment
* 5 Incidence
* 6 See also
* 7 References

## Classification

Depression with melancholic features is classified under the fourth and fifth versions Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV and DSM-5) as a specifier of depressive disorders.[2] A specifier essentially is a subcategory of a disease, explaining specific features or symptoms that are added to the main diagnosis.[3]

## Signs and symptoms

Melancholic depression requires at least one of the following symptoms during the last depressive episode:

* Anhedonia (the inability to find pleasure in positive things)
* Lack of mood reactivity (i.e. mood does not improve in response to positive/desired events; failure to feel better)

And at least three of the following:

* Depressed mood that is subjectively different from grief or loss (marked by despair, gloominess, and "empty-mood")
* Severe weight loss or loss of appetite
* Psychomotor agitation or retardation (i.e. increased or decreased movement, speech, and cognitive function)
* Early morning awakening (i.e. waking up at least 2 hours before the normal wake up time of the patient)
* Guilt that is excessive
* Worse depressed mood in the morning

Melancholic features apply to an episode of depression that occurs as part of either major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), or bipolar disorder I or II.[4] They are more likely to occur in patients who suffer from depression with psychotic features.[2] People with melancholic depression also tend to have more physically visible symptoms such as slower movement or speech.[5]

## Causes

The causes of melancholic depressive disorder are believed to be mostly biological factors: people may have inherited the disorder from their parents. Biological origins of the condition include problems with the HPA axis and sleep structure of patients.[6] MRI studies have indicated that melancholic depressed patients have issues with the connections between different regions of the brain, specifically the insula and fronto-parietal cortex.[7] Some studies have found that there are biological marker differences between patients with melancholic depression and other subtypes of depression.[8] Sometimes stressful situations can trigger episodes of melancholic depression, though this is a contributing cause rather than a necessary or sufficient cause. People with psychotic symptoms are also thought to be more susceptible to this disorder.[9]

Physicians often do not notice the symptoms in patients of old age because they perceive the symptoms to be a part of dementia. Major depressive disorder, melancholic or otherwise, is a separate condition that can be comorbid, or occurring at the same time as dementia in the elderly.[10]

The research regarding melancholic depression consistently finds that men are more likely to receive a melancholic depression diagnosis.[11]

## Treatment

Melancholic depression, due to some fundamental differences with standard clinical depression or other subtypes of depression, has specific types of treatments that work, and the success rates for different treatments can vary.[12][6] Treatment can involve antidepressants and empirically supported treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy for depression.[13]

Melancholic depression is often considered to be a biologically based and particularly severe form of depression. Therefore, the treatments for this specifier of depression are more biomedical and less psychosocial (which would include talk therapy and social support).[14] The general initial or "ideal" treatment for melancholic depression is antidepressant medication, and psychotherapy is added later on as support if at all.[15] The scientific support for medication as the best treatment is that patients with melancholic depression are less likely to improve with placebos, unlike other depression patients. This indicates the improvements observed after medication actually come from the biological basis of the condition and the treatment.[6] There are several types of antidepressants that can be prescribed including SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, and MAOIs; the antidepressants tend to vary on how they work and what specific chemical messengers in the brain they target.[16] SNRIs are generally more effective than SSRIs because they target more than one chemical messenger (serotonin and norepinephrine).[11]

Although psychotherapy treatments can be used such as talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), they have shown to be less effective than medication.[6] In a randomized clinical trial, which is one of the best types of studies to determine cause and effect relationships, it was shown that CBT was less effective than medication in treating symptoms of melancholic depression after 12 weeks.[17]

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was previously believed to be an effective treatment for melancholic depression. [18] ECT has been more commonly used for patients with melancholic depression due to the severity. In 2010, a study found that 60% of depression patients treated with ECT had melancholic symptoms.[19] However, studies since the 2000s have failed to demonstrate positive treatment results from ECT, although studies also indicate a more positive response to ECT in melancholic patients than other depressed patients.[6][20]

It has been observed in studies that patients with melancholic depression tend to recover less often than other types of depression.[11]

## Incidence

The incidence of having the melancholic depression specifier among patients with clinical depression is estimated to be about 25% to 30%.[21]

The incidence of melancholic depression has been found to increase when the temperature and/or sunlight are low.[22] According to the DSM-IV, the "melancholic features" specifier may be applied to the following only:

1. Major depressive episode, single episode
2. Major depressive episode, recurrent episode
3. Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed
4. Bipolar II disorder, most recent episode depressed

It is important to note, however, that people who suffer from melancholic depression do not need to have melancholic features in every depressive episode.[23]

## See also

* Melancholia

## References

1. ↑ "Melancholic Depression: Symptoms, Treatment, Tests and More". 26 March 2012. https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/melancholic-depression#symptoms.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 American Psychiatric Association (2013-05-22) (in en). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth ed.). American Psychiatric Association. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596. ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.
3. ↑ "What’s the DSM-5?" (in en). 2017-05-17. https://psychcentral.com/lib/dsm-5.
4. ↑ Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Arlington VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. 2013. ISBN 978-0-89042-559-6.
5. ↑ "Melancholic Depression: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Coping Tips" (in en). 2022-11-03. https://psychcentral.com/depression/melancholic-depression.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Parker, Gordon. "Back to black: why melancholia must be understood as distinct from depression" (in en). http://theconversation.com/back-to-black-why-melancholia-must-be-understood-as-distinct-from-depression-38025.
7. ↑ Gordon Parker, M. D. (2017-01-20) (in en). An Update on Melancholia. Vol 34 No 1. 34. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/update-melancholia.
8. ↑ Spanemberg, Lucas; Caldieraro, Marco Antonio; Vares, Edgar Arrua; Wollenhaupt-Aguiar, Bianca; Kauer-Sant'Anna, Márcia; Kawamoto, Sheila Yuri; Galvão, Emily; Parker, Gordon et al. (2014-08-19). "Biological differences between melancholic and nonmelancholic depression subtyped by the CORE measure" (in English). Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 10: 1523–1531. doi:10.2147/NDT.S66504. https://www.dovepress.com/biological-differences-between-melancholic-and-nonmelancholic-depressi-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT.
9. ↑ "Melancholic Depression: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment | Clinical Depression: Symptoms and Treatment". http://depressivedisorder.blogspot.com/2011/01/melancholic-depression-causes-symptoms.html.
10. ↑ Pekker, Michael. "Clinical Depression: Symptoms and Treatments". http://depressivedisorder.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/melancholic-depression-causes-symptoms.html.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Gili, Margalida; Roca, Miquel; Armengol, Silvia; Asensio, David; Garcia-Campayo, Javier; Parker, Gordon (2012-10-26). "Clinical Patterns and Treatment Outcome in Patients with Melancholic, Atypical and Non-Melancholic Depressions". PLoS ONE 7 (10): e48200. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048200. ISSN 1932-6203. PMID 23110213. PMC 3482206. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482206/.
12. ↑ "What is melancholic depression? Symptoms, diagnosis, and more" (in en). 2022-05-30. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/melancholic-depression.
13. ↑ Luty, Suzanne; Carter, Janet; McKenzie, Janice (2007). "Randomised controlled trial of interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression". The British Journal of Psychiatry 190 (6): 496–502. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.106.024729. PMID 17541109.
14. ↑ McGrath, Patrick; Ashan Khan; Madhukar Trivedi; Jonathan Stewart; David W Morris; Stephen Wisniewski; Sachiko Miyahara; Andrew Nierenberg et al. (2008). "Response to a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (Citalopram) in Major Depressive Disorder with Melancholic Features: A STAR*D Report". Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 69 (12): 1847–1855. doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n1201. PMID 19026268.
15. ↑ "The Darkest Mood: Major Depression With Melancholic Features | Psychology Today" (in en-US). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/and-running/202110/the-darkest-mood-major-depression-melancholic-features.
16. ↑ "Melancholic Depression: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Coping Tips" (in en). 2022-11-03. https://psychcentral.com/depression/melancholic-depression.
17. ↑ Gilfillan, David; Parker, Gordon; Sheppard, Elizabeth; Manicavasagar, Vijaya; Paterson, Amelia; Blanch, Bianca; McCraw, Stacey (2014-05-01). "Is cognitive behaviour therapy of benefit for melancholic depression?" (in en). Comprehensive Psychiatry 55 (4): 856–860. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.12.017. ISSN 0010-440X. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X13003830.
18. ↑ Rasmussen, Keith G. (December 2011). "Electroconvulsive Therapy and Melancholia: Review of the Literature and Suggestions for Further Study" (in en-US). The Journal of ECT 27 (4): 315–322. doi:10.1097/YCT.0b013e31820a9482. ISSN 1095-0680. PMID 21673591. https://journals.lww.com/ectjournal/Abstract/2011/12000/Electroconvulsive_Therapy_and_Melancholia__Review.10.aspx.
19. ↑ "The Darkest Mood: Major Depression With Melancholic Features | Psychology Today" (in en-US). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/and-running/202110/the-darkest-mood-major-depression-melancholic-features.
20. ↑ Rush, Gavin; O’Donovan, Aoife; Nagle, Laura; Conway, Catherine; McCrohan, AnnMaria; O’Farrelly, Cliona; Lucey, James V.; Malone, Kevin M. (2016-11-15). "Alteration of immune markers in a group of melancholic depressed patients and their response to electroconvulsive therapy" (in en). Journal of Affective Disorders 205: 60–68. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2016.06.035. ISSN 0165-0327. PMID 27414954. PMC 5291160. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032716302762.
21. ↑ "The Darkest Mood: Major Depression With Melancholic Features | Psychology Today" (in en-US). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/and-running/202110/the-darkest-mood-major-depression-melancholic-features.
22. ↑ Radua, Joaquim; Pertusa, Alberto; Cardoner, Narcis (28 February 2010). "Climatic relationships with specific clinical subtypes of depression". Psychiatry Research 175 (3): 217–220. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2008.10.025. PMID 20045197.
23. ↑ "The Darkest Mood: Major Depression With Melancholic Features | Psychology Today" (in en-US). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/and-running/202110/the-darkest-mood-major-depression-melancholic-features.

* v
* t
* e

Mental and behavioral disorders (F00–F99 & 290–319)

Adult personality and behavior

| Gender dysphoria|

* Ego-dystonic sexual orientation
* Paraphilia
* Fetishism
* Voyeurism
* Sexual maturation disorder
* Sexual relationship disorder

|

Other|

* Factitious disorder
* Munchausen syndrome
* Impulse control disorder
* Dermatillomania
* Kleptomania
* Pyromania
* Trichotillomania
* Personality disorder

Childhood and learning

| Emotional and behavioral|

* ADHD
* Conduct disorder
* ODD
* Emotional and behavioral disorders
* Separation anxiety disorder
* Movement disorders
* Stereotypic
* Social functioning
* DAD
* RAD
* Selective mutism
* Speech
* Stuttering
* Cluttering
* Tic disorder
* Tourette syndrome

|

Intellectual disability|

* X-linked intellectual disability
* Lujan–Fryns syndrome

Psychological development
(developmental disabilities)|

* Pervasive
* Specific

Mood (affective)

* Bipolar
* Bipolar I
* Bipolar II
* Bipolar NOS
* Cyclothymia
* Depression
* Atypical depression
* Dysthymia
* Major depressive disorder
* Melancholic depression
* Seasonal affective disorder
* Mania

Neurological and symptomatic

| Autism spectrum|

* Autism
* Asperger syndrome
* High-functioning autism
* PDD-NOS
* Savant syndrome

|

Dementia|

* AIDS dementia complex
* Alzheimer's disease
* Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease
* Frontotemporal dementia
* Huntington's disease
* Mild cognitive impairment
* Parkinson's disease
* Pick's disease
* Sundowning
* Vascular dementia
* Wandering

Other|

* Delirium
* Organic brain syndrome
* Post-concussion syndrome

Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform

| Adjustment|

* Adjustment disorder with depressed mood

|

Anxiety|

| Phobia|

* Agoraphobia
* Social anxiety
* Social phobia
* Anthropophobia
* Specific social phobia
* Specific phobia
* Claustrophobia

|

Other|

* Generalized anxiety disorder
* OCD
* Panic attack
* Panic disorder
* Stress
* Acute stress reaction
* PTSD

Dissociative|

* Depersonalization disorder
* Dissociative identity disorder
* Fugue state
* Psychogenic amnesia

Somatic symptom|

* Body dysmorphic disorder
* Conversion disorder
* Ganser syndrome
* Globus pharyngis
* Da Costa's syndrome
* Hypochondriasis
* Mass psychogenic illness
* Neurasthenia
* Nosophobia
* Psychalgia
* Somatization disorder

Physiological and physical behavior

| Eating|

* Anorexia nervosa
* Bulimia nervosa
* Rumination syndrome
* Other specified feeding or eating disorder

|

Nonorganic
sleep|

* Hypersomnia
* Insomnia
* Parasomnia
* Night terror
* Nightmare
* REM sleep behavior disorder

Postnatal|

* Postpartum depression
* Postpartum psychosis

Sexual dysfunction|

| Arousal|

* Erectile dysfunction
* Female sexual arousal disorder

|

Desire|

* Hypersexuality
* Hypoactive sexual desire disorder

Orgasm|

* Anorgasmia
* Delayed ejaculation
* Premature ejaculation
* Sexual anhedonia

Pain|

* Nonorganic dyspareunia
* Nonorganic vaginismus

Psychoactive substances, substance abuse and substance-related

* Drug overdose
* Intoxication
* Physical dependence
* Rebound effect
* Stimulant psychosis
* Substance dependence
* Withdrawal

Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional

| Delusional|

* Delusional disorder
* Folie à deux

|

Psychosis and
schizophrenia-like|

* Brief reactive psychosis
* Schizoaffective disorder
* Schizophreniform disorder

Schizophrenia|

* Childhood schizophrenia
* Disorganized (hebephrenic) schizophrenia
* Paranoid schizophrenia
* Pseudoneurotic schizophrenia
* Simple-type schizophrenia

Symptoms and uncategorized

* Catatonia
* False pregnancy
* Intermittent explosive disorder
* Klüver–Bucy syndrome
* Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
* Psychomotor agitation
* Stereotypy

fr:Mélancolie io:Melankolio zh:忧郁型抑郁障碍

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melancholic depression. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Medicine:Melancholic_depression&oldid=3193447"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template