Depressive Disorders: Update on Diagnosis, Etiology, and Treatment

Abstract

This review discusses the changes in the diagnostic criteria for depressive disorders as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), and recent findings exploring the etiology of and treatment strategies for these disorders. Depressive disorders are typically characterized by depression in the absence of a lifetime history of mania or hypomania. New developments in the DSM-5 include the recognition of new types of depressive disorders, such as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, persistent depressive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and the addition of catatonic features as a specifier for persistent depressive disorder. These diagnostic changes have important implications for the prognosis and treatment of this condition. A thorough understanding of both the clinical phenotype and the biosignature of these conditions is essential to provide individualized, long-term, effective treatments to affected individuals. This review contains 6 table and 53 references Key words: brain volumes, depressive disorders, DSM-5, hormones, inflammation, neuropeptides, somatic therapy, stress