Efficacy In Treatment Of Depression Research Articles

Harnessing AI in depression therapy: Integrating technology with traditional approaches

Depression is a pervasive mental health disorder affecting millions worldwide, with traditional therapeutic approaches such as medication and psychotherapy serving as the primary modes of treatment. However, the limitations of these methods, including variable patient responses and challenges in accessibility, have driven the exploration of innovative solutions. This paper investigates the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into traditional therapies, proposing a hybrid approach to enhance the efficacy of depression treatment. AI technologies, including chatbots, predictive analytics, and personalized virtual therapy, offer significant potential to complement existing treatments by providing continuous support, tailoring interventions to individual needs, and improving patient adherence. Through a review of current literature, this paper discusses the applications, benefits, and ethical considerations of AI in mental health, highlighting its transformative role in augmenting traditional therapeutic practices.

Web-Based, Human-Guided, or Computer-Guided Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in University Students With Anxiety and Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Internet-based cognitive behavioral interventions (iCBTs) are efficacious treatments for depression and anxiety. However, it is unknown whether adding human guidance is feasible and beneficial within a large educational setting. This study aims to potentially demonstrate the superiority of 2 variants of a transdiagnostic iCBT program (human-guided and computer-guided iCBT) over care as usual (CAU) in a large sample of university students and the superiority of human-guided iCBT over computer-guided iCBT. A total of 801 students with elevated levels of anxiety, depression, or both from a large university in the Netherlands were recruited as participants and randomized to 1 of 3 conditions: human-guided iCBT, computer-guided iCBT, and CAU. The primary outcome measures were depression (Patient Health Questionnaire) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale). Secondary outcomes included substance use-related problems (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test and Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 items). Linear mixed models were used to estimate the effects of time, treatment group, and their interactions (slopes). The primary research question was whether the 3 conditions differed in improvement over 3 time points (baseline, midtreatment, and after treatment) in terms of depression and anxiety symptoms. Results were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle using multiple imputation. Patients were followed exploratively from baseline to 6 and 12 months. In both short-term and long-term analyses, the slopes for the 3 conditions did not differ significantly in terms of depression and anxiety, although both web-based interventions were marginally more efficacious than CAU over 6 months (P values between .02 and .03). All groups showed significant improvement over time (P<.001). For the secondary outcomes, only significant improvements over time (across and not between groups) were found for drug use (P<.001). Significant differences were found in terms of adherence, indicating that participants in the human-guided condition did more sessions than those in the computer-guided condition (P=.002). The transdiagnostic iCBT program offers a practical, feasible, and efficacious alternative to usual care to tackle mental health problems in a large university setting. There is no indication that human guidance should be preferred over technological guidance. The potential preference of human support also depends on the scale of implementation and cost-effectiveness, which need to be addressed in future trials. International Clinical Trials Registry Platform NL7328/NTR7544; https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NL-OMON26795.

Web-Based Imagery Behavioral Activation (WIMBA): Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Testing the Effects, Acceptability, and Feasibility of a Mental Imagery Activity Scheduling Training Delivered Online.

Behavioral activation (BA) is an effective and efficacious treatment for depression. Activity scheduling is the central treatment component of BA and involves planning of potentially enjoyable and rewarding activities. Evidence from non-clinical studies suggests that mental imagery simulations of planned activities can increase motivation and anticipated pleasure for these activities. We describe a randomized controlled trial testing a mental imagery activity scheduling training delivered online in four weekly sessions (total training duration approximately 90 minutes) in a sample meeting diagnostic criteria of a major depressive episode, as indicated by the Diagnostic Short-Interview for Mental Disorders (Mini-DIPS), and not currently receiving treatment. Participants (N = 140) will be randomized to either mental imagery activity scheduling or a wait-list control condition. Depressive symptoms (BDI-II) and behavioral activation (BADS) are the primary outcomes; BDI-II will be measured at Session 1, Session 4, and at two-week follow-up, BADS at Sessions 1-4 and at two-week follow-up. It is discussed how the expected results may reflect mechanisms and effects of a mental imagery activity scheduling training delivered online in a sample of individuals with depression. Concluding we outline next steps for future research and highlight the potential of this novel treatment for dissemination in the wider community and integration into routine care.

Real-world outcome of rTMS treatment for depression within the Japanese public health insurance system: Registry data from Kansai TMS network

This study registered consecutive cases to elucidate the efficacy of rTMS treatment for depression within the Japanese public health insurance system. Of the 102 patients with depression who received rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 44 (43.1 %) patients reached remission and 14 (13.7 %) patients did not reach remission but responded to treatment. No serious adverse events occurred. Low baseline HAMD-17 score was associated with remission after rTMS treatment. Favorable outcomes of rTMS treatment were shown in this cohort within the Japanese public insurance system. Our results provide insights into rTMS treatment for depression in real-world clinical setting.

Sex-specific associations between circadian-related genes and depression in UK Biobank participants highlight links to glucose metabolism, inflammation and neuroplasticity pathways

Depressive disorders have increased in global prevalence, making improved management of these disorders a public health priority. Prior research has linked circadian clock genes to depression, either through direct interactions with mood-related pathways in the brain or by modulating the phase of circadian rhythms. Using machine learning and statistical techniques, we explored associations between 157,347 SNP variants from 51 circadian-related genes and depression scores from the patient health questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) in 99,939 UK Biobank participants. Our results highlight multiple pathways linking the circadian system to mood, including metabolic, monoamine, immune, and stress-related pathways. Notably, genes regulating glucose metabolism and inflammation (GSK3B, LEP, RORA, and NOCT) were prominent factors in females, in addition to DELEC1 and USP46, two genes of unknown function. In contrast, FBXL3 and DRD4 emerged as significant risk factors for male depression. We also found epistatic interactions involving RORA, NFIL3, and ZBTB20 as either risk or protective factors for depression, underscoring the importance of transcription factors (ZBTB20, NFIL3) and hormone receptors (RORA) in depression etiology. Understanding the complex, sex-specific links between circadian genes and mood disorders will facilitate the development of therapeutic interventions and enhance the efficacy of multi-target treatments for depression.

Metabolic Status Influences Probiotic Efficacy for Depression-PRO-DEMET Randomized Clinical Trial Results.

Probiotics may represent a safe and easy-to-use treatment option for depression or its metabolic comorbidities. However, it is not known whether metabolic features can influence the efficacy of probiotics treatments for depression. This trial involved a parallel-group, prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled design. In total, 116 participants with depression received a probiotic preparation containing Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell®-52 and Bifidobacterium longum Rosell®-175 or placebo over 60 days. The psychometric data were assessed longitudinally at five time-points. Data for blood pressure, body weight, waist circumference, complete blood count, serum levels of C-reactive protein, cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glucose were measured at the beginning of the intervention period. There was no advantage of probiotics usage over placebo in the depression score overall (PRO vs. PLC: F(1.92) = 0.58; p = 0.45). However, we found a higher rate of minimum clinically important differences in patients supplemented with probiotics than those allocated to placebo generally (74.5 vs. 53.5%; X2(1,n = 94) = 4.53; p = 0.03; NNT = 4.03), as well as in the antidepressant-treated subgroup. Moreover, we found that the more advanced the pre-intervention metabolic abnormalities (such as overweight, excessive central adipose tissue, and liver steatosis), the lower the improvements in psychometric scores. A higher baseline stress level was correlated with better improvements. The current probiotic formulations may only be used as complementary treatments for depressive disorders. Metabolic abnormalities may require more complex treatments. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04756544.

Real-time heart rate variability biofeedback amplitude during a large-scale digital mental health intervention differed by age, gender, and mental and physical health.

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) is an efficacious treatment for depression and anxiety. However, translation to digital mental health interventions (DMHI) requires computing and providing real-time HRVB metrics in a personalized and user-friendly fashion. To address these gaps, this study validates a real-time HRVB feedback algorithm and characterizes the association of the main algorithmic summary metric-HRVB amplitude-with demographic, psychological, and health factors. We analyzed HRVB data from 5158 participants in a therapist-supported DMHI incorporating slow-paced breathing to treat depression or anxiety symptoms. A real-time feedback metric of HRVB amplitude and a gold-standard research metric of low-frequency (LF) power were computed for each session and then averaged within-participants over 2 weeks. We provide HRVB amplitude values, stratified by age and gender, and we characterize the multivariate associations of HRVB amplitude with demographic, psychological, and health factors. Real-time HRVB amplitude correlated strongly (r = .93, p < .001) with the LF power around the respiratory frequency (~0.1 Hz). Age was associated with a significant decline in HRVB (β = -0.46, p < .001), which was steeper among men than women, adjusting for demographic, psychological, and health factors. Resting high- and low-frequency power, body mass index, hypertension, Asian race, depression symptoms, and trauma history were significantly associated with HRVB amplitude in multivariate analyses (p's < .01). Real-time HRVB amplitude correlates highly with a research gold-standard spectral metric, enabling automated biofeedback delivery as a potential treatment component of DMHIs. Moreover, we identify demographic, psychological, and health factors relevant to building an equitable, accurate, and personalized biofeedback user experience.

Evidence-based telehealth interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The goal of this systematic review was to examine the efficacy of behavioral health care treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety delivered via telehealth. We searched a combination of keywords related to telehealth, relevant mental health disorders, and evidence-based psychotherapies in three databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, and Embase) from database inception to April 2022. We included randomized controlled trials published in English wherein at least one arm received an evidence-based psychotherapy via telehealth. To be included, studies also had to enroll an adult population with symptoms or diagnosis of PTSD, depressive disorder, or anxiety disorder. Moderate quality of evidence was consistent with only small differences, if any, in efficacy between video teleconferencing (VTC) and in-person delivery for patients with PTSD (d = 0.06, 95% CI -0.17, 0.28). However, for those with depression, in-person delivery was associated with better outcomes compared to VTC (d = 0.28, 95% CI 0.03, 0.54; low quality of evidence). We also found that evidence-based treatments delivered over telephone were more efficacious for depression compared to treatment as usual (d = -0.47, 95% CI -0.66, -0.28; very low quality of evidence). Very low quality of evidence supported the use of telehealth versus waitlist for anxiety (d = -0.48, 95% CI -0.89, -0.09). A synthesis across 29 studies indicates that the efficacy of telehealth for delivery of evidence-based behavioral health interventions varies by target diagnosis and telehealth modality. More research is needed on the efficacy of telehealth treatments for depression and anxiety.

The Promise of Ecological Momentary Assessment to Improve Depression Management for Older Adults in Primary Care.

Among older adults, depression is a common, morbid, and costly disorder. Older adults with depression are overwhelmingly treated by primary care providers with poor rates of remission and treatment response, despite attempts to improve care delivery through behavioral health integration and care management models. Given one in 10 older adults in primary care settings meet criteria for depression, there is a pressing need to improve the efficacy of depression treatment among affected individuals. Measurement-based care (i.e., the incorporation of systematic measurement of patient outcomes into treatment) for depressed older adults in primary care has had poor uptake, which at least partly underlies the limited efficacy of depression treatments. In this perspective, we discuss the proposal that ecological momentary assessment (EMA) may increase uptake of measurement-based care for depression in primary care, enhance the quality of clinical depression data, and lead to improvements in treatment efficacy without adding to providers' burden. We describe key issues related to EMA implementation and application in routine settings for depressed older adults, along with potential pitfalls and future research directions.

Directional associations among real-time activity, sleep, mood, and daytime symptoms in major depressive disorder using actigraphy and ecological momentary assessment

Previous research has suggested that individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) experienced alterations in sleep and activity levels. However, the temporal associations among sleep, activity levels, mood, and daytime symptoms in MDD have not been fully investigated. The present study aimed to fill this gap by utilizing real-time data collected across time points and days. 75 individuals with MDD and 75 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited. Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) were adopted to assess real-time mood status for 7 days, and actigraphy was employed to measure day-to-day sleep-activity patterns. Multilevel modeling analyses were performed. Results revealed a bidirectional association between mood/daytime symptoms and activity levels across EMA intervals. Increased activity levels were predictive of higher alert cognition and positive mood, while an increase in positive mood also predicted more increase in activity levels in depressed individuals. A bidirectional association between sleep and daytime symptoms was also found. Alert cognition was found to be predictive of better sleep in the subsequent night. Contrariwise, higher sleep efficiency predicted improved alert cognition and sleepiness/fatigue the next day. A unidirectional association between sleep and activity levels suggested that higher daytime activity levels predicted a larger increase in sleep efficiency among depressed individuals. This study indicated how mood, activity levels, and sleep were temporally and intricately linked to each other in depressed individuals using actigraphy and EMA. It could pave the way for novel and efficacious treatments for depression that target not just mood but sleep and activity levels.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of meaning-centred psychotherapies in depressed participants.

Depression is a mental disorder that is associated with low quality of life, increased risk of suicide and a high economic cost for society. Meta-analyses indicate that Meaning Centred Psychotherapies (MCP) are an efficacious psychotherapy to reduce depression in participants with chronic illness and cancer. However, to date, no systematic review has analysed the effectiveness of MCP in depressed participants who do not have a physical illness or cancer. The objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review to analyse the effectiveness of MCP in participants with depression and no physical illness. The search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA). Six studies (two randomised controlled trials and four quasi-experimental studies) were included in the systematic review. The results indicate that MCP is more effective than a control group as waitlist (four studies), psychoeducation group (one study), and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT, one study), in reducing depressive symptoms, improving meaning in life and reducing anxiety in participants without physical illness. MCP would be considered a probably efficacious treatment for depression. However, further research with better experimental designs will be necessary to confirm the effectiveness of MCP for depression.

Research progress on the correlation between transforming growth factor-β level and depression symptoms.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a group of cytokines with anti-inflammatory effects in the TGF family, which participates in the development process of stress and depression-related mechanisms, and plays a role in the regulation of inflammatory response in depression and the recovery of various cytokine imbalances. The core symptom group of depression is associated with TGF-β level, and the psychological symptom group of depression is related to TGF-β gene polymorphism. Various antidepressants may up-regulate TGF-β level through the complex interaction between neurotransmitters and inflammatory factors, inhibiting inflammatory response and regulating cytokine imbalance to improve depressive symptoms. Studies have shown that recombinant TGF-β1 protein has beneficial effects in mouse depression models and the nasal sprays have unique advantages of fast acting, indicating TGF-β1 might be a potential therapeutic target for depression. This article reviews the research progress on dynamic changes of TGF-β level before and after depression treatment and the application of TGF-β level as an indicator for the improvement of depressive symptoms, to provide new ideas for the development of new antidepressants and the evaluation method of the efficacy of depression treatment.

Beam F3 and 5.5 cm targeting show similar efficacy in rTMS treatment of depression: a randomized trial

Beam F3 and 5.5 cm targeting show similar efficacy in rTMS treatment of depression: a randomized trial

Pilot study of single-dose psilocybin for serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant body dysmorphic disorder

ObjectiveBody dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an often-severe condition in which individuals are preoccupied by misperceptions of their appearance as defective or ugly. Only serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive-behavioral therapy have been demonstrated efficacious in randomized controlled trials. Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug with growing evidence for safety and efficacy in treatment of depression. This study aimed to pilot test the feasibility, tolerability, safety, and efficacy of psilocybin treatment of adults with BDD. Methods: In this open-label trial, 12 adults (8 women, 4 men) with moderate-to-severe non-delusional BDD that had been unresponsive to at least one serotonin reuptake inhibitor trial received a single oral dose of psilocybin 25 mg. There was no control group. Psychological support was provided before, during, and after the dosing session. The primary outcome measure for efficacy was the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Scale Modified for BDD (BDD-YBOCS) score during 12 weeks of assessments after dosing. Results: All participants completed dosing and all follow-up assessments. BDD-YBOCS scores decreased significantly over 12 weeks of follow-up (p < .001) with a large effect size (partial eta squared = 0.54), and significant changes from baseline were present at week 1 and persisted through week 12. Secondary efficacy measures of BDD symptoms, conviction of belief, negative affect, and disability also improved significantly, and no serious adverse events occurred. At week 12, seven participants (58%) were rated responders, based on ≥30% decrease in BDD-YBOCS. Conclusion: This study provides promising preliminary support for psilocybin as a treatment of BDD, warranting future controlled studies.

Alterations in the neural correlates of affective inhibitory control following cognitive behavioral therapy for depression: A Canadian biomarker integration network for depression (CAN-BIND) study

• At baseline, relative to healthy controls, patients with depression exhibited greater ERP amplitudes during the N2. • At baseline, N2 amplitude was linked to rumination scores. • Following CBT, ERP amplitude during the N2 decreased for angry stimuli, but increased for happy stimuli. • Changes in the P3 following CBT were linked to reduction in depressive symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an efficacious treatment for depression. CBT may in part exert its therapeutic effect by strengthening inhibitory control (IC). However, the relationship between CBT and IC has yet to be thoroughly explored; in particular, it is not clear whether IC is modulated following a course of CBT. Forty-one adults with depression were recruited to undergo sixteen weeks of CBT; data from twenty-five healthy controls were used for baseline comparisons. Participants completed an affective Go/No-go task, a measure of IC, while undergoing electroencephalography recording. Electroencephalography measures of interest were the event-related potential (ERP) N2 and P3 components. At baseline, individuals with depression exhibited greater ERP amplitudes during the N2 regardless of affective condition; source reconstruction attributed this to patients exhibiting greater activity in the superior frontal gyrus, right temporal lobe, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Following treatment, the ERP amplitude during the N2 component decreased for angry stimuli but increased for happy stimuli. Source reconstruction attributed ERP changes in the angry-condition to the left occipital and fusiform gyrus, and changes in the happy-condition to regions including the superior frontal gyrus and ACC. There was no placebo-treatment group. Neural correlates of the affective Go/No-go task were altered in depression and were found to be selectively modulated over the course of CBT in a condition- and region-specific manner. These findings support the notion that the modulation of IC may be one of the potential therapeutic mechanisms of CBT in the treatment of depression.

Why Do Adult Patients With Cancer Not Seek Help for Their Depressive Symptoms? The Role of Illness Perceptions, Coping, and Social Support

Background: Up to 75% of cancer patients with depressive symptoms do not make use of psychological care. Objective: To examine how perceptions of and coping with depressive symptoms and perceived social support in adults with cancer are associated with their need for psychological care, concurrently and over time. Methods: In this longitudinal study, 127 participants who received a cancer diagnosis in the past 5 years, experienced at least moderate depressive symptoms, and were not receiving psychological help, completed 2 self-report questionnaires (3 months apart) including the brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory and Social Support List. Results: Participants with stronger belief in the efficacy of psychological care and more likely to use avoidant coping reported a greater need for psychological care at both data points. Social support was not significantly associated with perceived need for psychological care. Conclusions: Stronger perceived treatment control and greater use of avoidant coping were significantly associated with a greater perceived need for psychological care. Implications for practice: People with cancer may benefit from being informed about the efficacy of depression treatment. Furthermore, health care professionals should be aware that avoidant coping may complicate psychological care seeking for a group of adults with cancer experiencing depressive symptoms and having a need for psychological care. Foundational: Illness perceptions and coping mechanisms can predict cancer patients’ need for psychological care. Providing information about treatment options and its efficacy, together with targeting avoidant coping may increase adequate decision-making and possibly the uptake of psychological care.

The relative importance of diagnostic specific and transdiagnostic factors in evaluating treatment outcome of depressed patients

Determinations of the efficacy of treatments for depression most commonly are based on changes in scores on symptom severity scales. This narrow symptom-focused approach towards evaluating outcome is at variance with patients’ broader conceptualization of the factors deemed important in evaluating the outcome of depression treatment. In the present report we examine the factors associated with depressed patients’ global ratings of improvement after a treatment intervention. Five hundred and three patients with major depressive disorder completed the Remission from Depression Questionnaire (RDQ), a self-report measure that assesses multiple constructs considered by patients to be relevant to assessing treatment outcome. The patients completed the RDQ at admission and discharge from the treatment program. At discharge, the patients made a global rating of the effectiveness of treatment. The patients significantly improved from admission to discharge on each RDQ subscale. Changes in the well-being/life satisfaction and coping subscales were the only 2 subscales that were independently associated with the patients’ ratings of improvement. These results suggest that when evaluating outcome in the treatment of depression a focus on symptom improvement is too narrow. Consideration of a broader perspective in measuring outcome in treatment studies of depression is more consistent with a biopsychosocial conceptualization.

A novel approach to investigate depression symptoms in the aging population using generalizability theory.

As depression is common in older people and confers significant risk for dementia, its accurate assessment is essential. The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) is a widely used assessment tool for measuring depression in aged populations, and its psychometric properties have been recently improved using Rasch analysis. However, its temporal reliability and ability to distinguish between dynamic and enduring symptoms of depression have not been examined using the appropriate methodology. Generalizability theory (G theory) is a suitable method to distinguish between enduring and dynamic symptoms of depression and to evaluate the reliability of the GDS-15 scores and sources of measurement error. We applied G theory to the longitudinal GDS-15 data of 354 participants from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, collected biennially over 10 years, from individuals aged 70 years and older. The GDS-15 demonstrated strong reliability and generalizability of its test scores in measuring enduring symptoms of depression (Ga = 0.82, Gr = 0.90) across the sample population and occasions, and indicated that depression scores significantly increased over time. In addition, three identified dynamic symptoms of depression, namely helplessness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities, did not affect the overall reliability of the GDS-15. Thus, the GDS-15 is a reliable measure for assessing enduring symptoms of depression and can be used to evaluate the efficacy of depression treatments and monitor depression levels over time in older adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Literature study on the Efficacy of antidepressants with CBT in the treatment of depression

Introduction: Depression is of global concern to clinicians, researchers and governments. This study seeks to review the benefits of including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as an adjunctive treatment with antidepressants and to explore the role that physical exercise can offer as a treatment for depression. There is considerable literature available on the use of antidepressants with and without CBT. Various neurological studies have identified new roles which suggest the effectiveness of physical exercise as a supportive treatment against depressive symptoms. The production of endorphins can lead to the development of new neuronal growth which may be helpful in the restructuring of neurocognition and thereby protecting against depressive symptoms. Purpose: Current review study aims at scoping the efficacy of antidepressants with CBT and insightful neurocognitive views on the way physical exercise can restructure the cognition of depressive patients which would make the treatment more effective. Method: This literature review study engine proceeds by scoping 72 articles from the previous literature studies and medical news using electronic databases such as PubMed, Medical news, both clinical and the theoretical implications of these findings are discussed. The study also referred to other journals including Psych-INFO, NCBI, and CINAH from 2010 to 2022 which are analysed to draw insightful information concerning the use of antidepressants with CBT and physical exercises to increase the effective treatment for major depression. Conclusion: the current literature study evidences the enhanced efficacy of treatment for depression with CBT in the treatment of depression, its role in reducing relapse episodes of depression and residual symptoms and the efficacy of physical exercises in the treatment of depression. The implication of the study to place these findings in the larger context of treatment selection in managing residual symptoms, reducing the risk of relapse and neurocognitive changes through physical exercise in major depressive disorder (MDD).

Chronic SSRI Treatment, but Not Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor Treatment, Increases Neurogenesis in Juvenile Rats

There has been growing recognition that major depressive disorder is a serious medical disorder that also affects children. This has been accompanied by an increased use of antidepressant drugs in adolescents; however, not all classes of antidepressants are effective in children and adolescents. There is an increasing need to understand the differences in antidepressant action in different developmental stages. There are some data indicating that the behavioral effect of chronic antidepressant treatment in adult rodents is dependent on hippocampal neurogenesis; however, it is not known which classes of antidepressant drugs induce hippocampal neurogenesis in adolescent rodents. Three classes of antidepressant drugs were tested in two age groups of Sprague Dawley rats, pre-adolescent (postnatal days 11–24) and adolescent (postnatal days 21–34): monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs); selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs); and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). To address which classes of antidepressant drugs might alter the rate of mitogenesis in neural progenitor cells in an adolescent rodent model, adolescent Sprague Dawley rats were treated with the thymidine analog 5-bromo-deoxy-2′-uridine (BrdU) on postnatal days 21 and 22 and antidepressant drugs or vehicle for 14 days (postnatal days 21–34). To address which classes of antidepressant drugs might alter the rate of neurogenesis, postnatal day-21 Sprague Dawley rats were treated with antidepressant drugs or vehicle for 14 days (postnatal days 21–34) and BrdU on postnatal days 33 and 34. In both experimental paradigms, BrdU-positive cells in the subgranular zone and the granule cell layer were counted. Newborn neurons were identified in the neurogenic paradigm by identifying cells expressing both the neuronal specific marker NeuN and BrdU using confocal microscopy. Only the SSRI fluoxetine significantly altered the basal mitogenic and neurogenic rates in adolescent rats. Treatment with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) tranylcypromine (TCP) and the TCA desipramine did not alter the rate of hippocampal neurogenesis in the adolescent rats. This is consistent with human clinical observations, where only SSRIs have efficacy for treatment of depression in patients under the age of 18. In pre-adolescent rats, postnatal days 11–24, none of the drugs tested significantly altered the basal mitogenic or neurogenic rates. All of the classes of antidepressant drugs are known to induce hippocampal neurogenesis in adult rats. The mechanisms of action underlying this developmental difference in antidepressant drug action between juveniles and adults are not known.