Treatment Of Depression In Youth Research Articles

Unlocking the Potential of Effective Connectivity as a Neuroimaging Biomarker: A Path Toward Personalized Depression Treatment in Youth

Unlocking the Potential of Effective Connectivity as a Neuroimaging Biomarker: A Path Toward Personalized Depression Treatment in Youth

Neurophysiological impact of theta burst stimulation followed by cognitive exercise in treatment of youth depression

• Changes in cortical reactivity following bilateral DLPFC TBS combined with cognitive exercise treatment were assessed in youth with depression. • Cortical reactivity was modulated at cortical sites both local and distal to the site of TBS application. • Modulation of cortical reactivity at different sites was associated with improvement in both depression and rumination scores. • TBS combined with cognitive exercise may exert its therapeutic effect by modulating the neurophysiology of sites both local and distal to the stimulation sites. Targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) with repeated sessions of theta-burst stimulation (TBS) is a promising treatment for youth depression. However, it remains unclear whether TBS selectively acts upon inhibitory and/or excitatory measures. Such insight could aid with the development of biomarker driven approaches to delivering TBS in depressed youth. Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) was used to assess the neurophysiological impact of a 4-week bilateral DLPFC-targeted TBS trial followed by a cognitive exercise for the treatment of depression in youth. In 26 youth with depression (aged 16 – 24 years old), TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs) were assessed at baseline and after treatment completion from the bilateral DLPFC and intraparietal lobules (IPL). Following treatment, there were significant changes in TEPs both local and distal to the stimulated treatment sites. The amplitude of the left DLPFC N100 response was significantly reduced. Also, there was a significant association between changes in the right DLPFC N45 response and reduction in depressive and rumination scores. Additionally, the amplitude of the right IPL N100 response was reduced. Moreover, the modulation of the right IPL N100 response was significantly associated with a reduction in depressive scores. The primary limitation was the lack of a sham treatment arm. Bilateral DLPFC TBS may exert its therapeutic impact by modulating the neurophysiology of regions and networks both local and distal to the treatment site. Collectively, our findings offer novel insight into the potential therapeutic mechanisms of TBS for the treatment of youth depression.

1.33 Senior Residents’ Self-Reported Competence in Evidence-Based Treatments for Depression in Youth

While clinical practice guidelines exist for treating children and adolescents with MDD, it is not known whether graduating psychiatry residents feel competent in providing guideline-recommended treatments. This study aims to provide a snapshot of the emerging psychiatric workforce’s confidence in providing evidence-based treatments for MDD in youth stratified by their anticipated practice population.

Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms among Children and Adolescents in Rural China: A Large-Scale Epidemiological Study.

Although children living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for 90% of the global population of children, depression, and anxiety among children in LMICs have been understudied. This study examines the prevalence of depression and anxiety and their associations with biological and psychosocial factors among children across China, with a focus on rural areas. We conducted a large-scale epidemiological study of depression and anxiety among 53,421 elementary and junior high school-aged children across China. The results show that 20% are at risk for depression, 6% are at risk for generalized anxiety, and 68% are at risk for at least one type of anxiety. Girls and junior high school students show a higher risk for both depression and anxiety symptoms, while socioeconomic status has varying associations to depression and anxiety symptoms. Our results also show consistent correlations between depression and anxiety symptoms and standard math test scores. These findings underscore the importance of identification, prevention, and treatment of youth depression and anxiety in underdeveloped areas. As China constitutes 15% of the global population of children under age 18, this study offers valuable information to the field of global mental health.

Problem-solving training as an active ingredient of treatment for youth depression: a scoping review and exploratory meta-analysis

BackgroundProblem-solving training is a common ingredient of evidence-based therapies for youth depression and has shown effectiveness as a versatile stand-alone intervention in adults. This scoping review provided a first overview of the evidence supporting problem solving as a mechanism for treating depression in youth aged 14 to 24 years.MethodsFive bibliographic databases (APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science) and the grey literature were systematically searched for controlled trials of stand-alone problem-solving therapy; secondary analyses of trial data exploring problem-solving-related concepts as predictors, moderators, or mediators of treatment response within broader therapies; and clinical practice guidelines for youth depression. Following the scoping review, an exploratory meta-analysis examined the overall effectiveness of stand-alone problem-solving therapy.ResultsInclusion criteria were met by four randomized trials of problem-solving therapy (524 participants); four secondary analyses of problem-solving-related concepts as predictors, moderators, or mediators; and 23 practice guidelines. The only clinical trial rated as having a low risk of bias found problem-solving training helped youth solve personal problems but was not significantly more effective than the control at reducing emotional symptoms. An exploratory meta-analysis showed a small and non-significant effect on self-reported depression or emotional symptoms (Hedges’ g = − 0.34; 95% CI: − 0.92 to 0.23) with high heterogeneity. Removing one study at high risk of bias led to a decrease in effect size and heterogeneity (g = − 0.08; 95% CI: − 0.26 to 0.10). A GRADE appraisal suggested a low overall quality of the evidence. Tentative evidence from secondary analyses suggested problem-solving training might enhance outcomes in cognitive-behavioural therapy and family therapy, but dedicated dismantling studies are needed to corroborate these findings. Clinical practice guidelines did not recommend problem-solving training as a stand-alone treatment for youth depression, but five mentioned it as a treatment ingredient.ConclusionsOn its own, problem-solving training may be beneficial for helping youth solve personal challenges, but it may not measurably reduce depressive symptoms. Youth experiencing elevated depressive symptoms may require more comprehensive psychotherapeutic support alongside problem-solving training. High-quality studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of problem-solving training as a stand-alone approach and as a treatment ingredient.

Neurophysiological markers of response to theta burst stimulation in youth depression.

Theta burst stimulation (TBS) has recently been proposed as a novel treatment for youth depression. However, the impact of TBS on the youth brain and neurophysiological predictors of response to TBS in this population have not been investigated. Cortical reactivity was assessed at baseline and following 2 weeks of bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) TBS treatment in 16 youth with depression (aged 16-24 years old). In 16 age-matched health youths, cortical reactivity was assessed twice, 2 weeks apart. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with electroencephalography was used to assess TMS-evoked potentials in bilateral DLPFC, motor cortices, and intraparietal lobules (IPL). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data was also collected at baseline. Left DLPFC pretreatment cortical reactivity, specifically the negativity at 45 ms (i.e., N45), which is related to GABAA neurotransmission, was associated with changes in depressive symptoms. Furthermore, TBS treatment was found to alter the N45 in the right IPL, a site distal to the treatment sites. The magnitude of the right IPL N45 modulation was correlated with the baseline fMRI connectivity between the right IPL and right DLPFC. TMS-probed cortical inhibition at the site of TBS application may have potential as a predictor of treatment response in youth depression. Furthermore, pre-treatment functional connectivity may predict the impact of TBS on the neurophysiology of regions distal to the stimulation site. Collectively, these results offer novel neurophysiological insights into the application of TBS for youth depression, which may facilitate its wider use in the youth population.

Treating Depression in the Context of Mania or Mania Risk in Youth

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a heritable and episodic psychiatric disorder that is increasingly being recognized to take onset in childhood or adolescence. Youth with a parent or sibling with BD may also be at risk for mania, but frequently present with depression. In a busy clinical practice, treating depression in the context of mania or risk for mania can be obfuscated by a number of factors, including clinical heterogeneity and co-occurring conditions, changes in symptom presentation over the course of development, and treatment-emergent affective switching. In this review, we critically appraise recently published literature pertinent to the use of nonpharmacological and pharmacological strategies for the treatment of depression in youth with or at familial risk for BD. We used available data and extrapolate from adult studies to present reasonable treatment options in the context of a limited evidence base. Initial consideration of nonpharmacologic approaches such as psychotherapy, engaging in resilience-promoting strategies, and using omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is suggested given the low risk involved in implementation. Pharmacological treatment is guided by a combination of presenting symptoms, response to previous treatment trials or family history of previous responses, reported adverse effects, and patient and family preference. We conclude with a research update on emerging evidence-based treatment of bipolar I depression in youth. High-risk youth are more susceptible to developing antidepressant-induced mania (AIM), but the risks may be cautiously managed by starting at low doses, slow titrations, close monitoring for emerging adverse effects, and consideration of mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics with any emergence of persistent hypomania or mania that is not reversed by lowering or discontinuing antidepressant dosing.

Parent and Youth Preferences in the Treatment of Youth Depression.

Patient-centered care requires providing care that is responsive to patient preferences, needs, and values, yet data on parent and youth treatment preferences remains sparse. The present study (1) identifies variations in parent and youth preferences for depression treatment, and (2) explores relationships between parent and youth demographics and psychosocial functioning, and the preferences that parents and youth endorse. Participants were 64 youth and 63 parents awaiting randomization in a clinical trial evaluating psychosocial youth depression treatments. Parents preferred treatments that emphasize learning skills and strategies (82.5%) and include the parent in treatment at least some of the time (96.8%). Youth preferred that the therapist meet mostly with the youth alone (67.2%) but share at least some information with parents (78.1%). Youth (43.8%) tended to respond "don't know" to questions about their preferred therapeutic approach. Understanding parent and youth preferences, especially psychosocial treatment preferences, is needed to provide high-quality, patient-centered care.

The adaptation and evaluation of a CBT-based manual for the inpatient treatment of youth depression: a pilot study

BackgroundAlthough there is good evidence to support the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the outpatient treatment of adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD), evidence-based manuals for the inpatient setting are lacking. This pilot study sought to (i) adapt an existing CBT manual (treatment of adolescent depression; TADS) to an inpatient setting (TADS-in), (ii) test its effectiveness at symptom reduction and remission of MDD in a pre-post design, and (iii) assess the strengths and limitations of the manual via a focus-group with clinicians.MethodsTwenty nine adolescents aged 12–17 years with a primary ICD-10 diagnosis of MDD being treated as inpatients at a psychiatric clinic were included. Embedded in the regular inpatient treatment course (8 weeks), patients received 12 sessions of the TADS-in manual. Quantitative assessment of symptom reduction and remission of MDD was conducted using a non-controlled pre-post design. The quantitative results were supplemented by a focus group with participating psychotherapists.ResultsOf the 29 patients included in the study at the beginning, 19 (65.5%) remained in the study at week 8. Symptoms of depression were statistically significantly lower at the end of treatment than at baseline according to self- (d = 1.38; mean change = 19.88; 95% CI = 12.48–27.28) and other reports (d = 0.64, mean change = 0.35; 95% CI = 0.08–0.62). Clinicians ratings of improvement (CGI-I) suggested that at the end of treatment, 15.8% were very much improved, 68.4% much improved, and 15.8% were minimally improved. According to diagnostic interviews with patients conducted at the end of treatment, 73.3% were in remission. The qualitative analysis showed that on the whole, the TADS-in manual is suitable for the inpatient setting. However, clinicians believed the effectiveness of TADS-in was limited by patient comorbidity and the fact that the inpatients were unable to practice incorporating techniques learnt into everyday life.ConclusionsThis study is the first to adapt the TADS manual to the inpatient setting. The sample of depressed adolescents showed reduced symptomology following treatment, although these findings require replicating in a randomized controlled trial before effects can be attributed to the TADS-in manual specifically. This pilot study informs further development of the manual as well as representing an important first step in the evaluation of the inpatient treatment of adolescent depression.The study was retrospectively registered (DRKS00017308) and received no external funding.

A Case Report: Attempted Suicide and Suicidal Behavior in an 8 Years Old Child

In most of the countries suicide is one of the ten leading causes of death and for young people it is the second most common cause. But in children suicide is rare and associated with severe personal and social problems. A useful definition of suicidal behavior in children developed by Pfeiffer is “Any self-destructive behavior that has intent to seriously damage oneself or cause death (1986)”. The thought of a child dying by suicide challenges the ideals we hold about how our children grow and develop at their own home and society. It also raises considerations about children’s understandings of death and their capacity to have the intent to suicide. The relationship between psychiatric disorders and adolescent suicide is now well established. Mood disorders, substance abuse, conduct disorder and prior suicide attempts are strongly related with youth and child suicides. Factors related to family adversity, style of parenting and child rearing, recent socio-cultural transition and other precipitating problems also contribute to the risk of suicide. The main target of effective prevention of child and youth suicide is to reduce suicide risk factors. Recognition and effective treatment of psychiatric disorders, e.g. depression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorders are essential in preventing child and adolescent suicides. In the treatment of youth depression, psychosocial treatments have proved to be useful and efficacious. Here we have described about the case of a 08 year old boy, presenting with restlessness, impulsiveness, multiple threats and one episode of attempted suicide following refusal to watch TV by parents.

Researchers calculate tool for measuring depression change in children and teens

How can you tell if depression treatment is working in children and adolescents? Despite the only modest treatment effects, with 30 to 50% of youth not responding to treatment, there are ways to track change, new research has found. Using measurement‐based care (MBC) can help. Their study produced reliable change indices (RCIs) per Jacobson and Truax (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2002127) for the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 items, Modified for Adolescents (PHQ‐9A), and the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), two commonly used tools to assess outcomes in treatment of youth depression. They validated the tool with their RCI.

The temporal association between emotional clarity and depression symptoms in adolescents

IntroductionLow emotional clarity, that is, problems in understanding and identifying one's own emotions, is generally seen as related to depression. Most empirical studies on this topic focused on the link between low levels of emotional clarity predicting depression problems, fewer studies on depression symptoms predicting low emotional clarity. All studies were restricted to unidirectional associations. The present study evaluated the reciprocal associations between emotional clarity and depression symptoms. Additionally, we tested the role of rumination as a mediator of the links between depression symptoms and emotional clarity. MethodsFor the main analyses, data of 230 Dutch participants (Mage = 13.40, SD = 2.24; 48% girls) over three time points of a 5-year longitudinal study were used. Depression symptoms, emotional clarity, and rumination were self-reported. Cross-lagged panel analysis was used to test a model of reciprocal associations between depression symptoms and emotional clarity against models of unidirectional associations. The role of rumination as mediator and sex as moderator in the links between depression symptoms and emotional clarity were evaluated in separate analyses on a subsample (n = 151). Results & conclusionsA model of reciprocal associations where depression symptoms and low emotional clarity predict relatively high scores of the other over time offered a good representation of the data. Rumination mediated the link between depression symptoms predicting prospective emotional clarity for both sexes. These findings suggest a vicious cycle between depression symptoms and low emotional clarity. We discuss possible implications of these results for the treatment of depression in youth.

21.1 Integrated Treatment of Refractory Depression in Youth: A Review of Medication, Psychological Treatments, and Barriers to Optimal Care

21.1 Integrated Treatment of Refractory Depression in Youth: A Review of Medication, Psychological Treatments, and Barriers to Optimal Care

21.2 Integrated Treatment of Refractory Depression in Youth: Implementing and Achieving Integrated Care

21.2 Integrated Treatment of Refractory Depression in Youth: Implementing and Achieving Integrated Care

Predictors and Moderators of Relapse in Children and Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder.

To identify predictors and moderators of relapse during continuation treatment among depressed youth randomly assigned to fluoxetine or placebo. Potential predictors and moderators of relapse that were identified by a literature review were examined in 102 youth (aged 7-18 years), diagnosed with major depressive disorder as defined by DSM-IV criteria, who were considered responders after 12 weeks of fluoxetine treatment (acute phase). This randomized controlled trial was conducted from June 2000 through October 2005. Each candidate predictor and moderator was evaluated with a multiple logistic regression model to examine the main and interaction effects of 12 weeks of continuation treatment on relapse status (at week 24) while controlling for age, sex, and depression severity. Relapse was defined as a Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised total score ≥ 40 with worsening of depressive symptoms for at least 2 weeks. Youth with comorbid dysthymia (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.88, P = .03) and low levels of family leadership (adjusted OR = 1.39, P = .006) at baseline are more likely to relapse than their counterparts. Higher levels of depression (OR = 1.21, P = .003) and higher levels of residual sleep disturbance (insomnia) (OR = 6.74, P = .006) and irritability (OR = 7.40, P = .01) at the end of acute treatment (12 weeks) increased the odds of relapse. Higher levels of depressive symptoms at baseline in youth who remained on fluoxetine for continuation treatment were associated with increased odds of relapse (adjusted OR = 1.14, P = .03). Females who remained on fluoxetine for the duration of continuation treatment were almost 9 times more likely to relapse than males (adjusted OR = 8.86, P = .007). This is the first large continuation study for treatment of depression in youth to examine predictors and moderators of relapse. Youth with greater improvement by the end of 3 months of treatment were less likely to relapse than those with continued depressive symptoms. In addition, youth with comorbid dysthymia had 3 times greater risk of relapse that those without. Targeting residual symptoms, particularly sleep disturbance and irritability, earlier in treatment may reduce relapse rates. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00332787.

Clinic outcomes of the Pathway to Care Model: A cross-sectional survey of adolescent depression in Malawi.

Depression is one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease and often has an onset during adolescence. While effective treatments are available, many low-income countries, such as Malawi, lack appropriately trained health providers in community health settings, and this limits access to effective mental healthcare for young people with depression. To address this need, a Canadian-developed youth depression Pathway to Care Model, linking school-based mental health literacy interventions to training of community healthcare providers, was adapted for use in Malawi and successfully applied. A sample of healthcare providers (N = 25) from community health clinics (N = 9) were trained in the use of comprehensive, systematic clinical interventions, addressing the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of depression in youth who had been referred from schools where mental health literacy interventions had been implemented. Referral outcomes were obtained using a standardised clinical record form. Over 120 clinical outcome forms were available for analysis. Seventy percent of youth referred by their teachers were diagnosed with depression. Most youth diagnosed with depression identified physical symptoms as their primary difficulty. Available standardised outcome measures applied by clinicians indicated that, overall, youth showed positive outcomes as a result of treatment. Community healthcare providers in Malawi were trained in the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of youth depression. When this training was applied in usual clinical care to youth referred from schools, it led to generally favourable clinical outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a clinically feasible intervention that results in positive outcomes for young people with depression in Malawi, and it may provide a useful model to replicate elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Quicker Recovery from Depression with Brief CBT

Previous trials have shown mixed results on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of depression in youth. However,

Chronotherapeutic treatments for depression in youth.

Chronotherapeutics such as wake therapy and bright light therapy are well-established methods in treating adults with depressive disorders and are additionally beneficent for sleep regulation. Few studies concerning chronotherapeutics in juvenile depression exist, though the established treatments are insufficient and sleep disorders often co-occur. In this study, we investigate the impact of two types of chronotherapeutics on depressive symptoms and sleep behavior in a juvenile setting. Juvenile inpatients (n = 62) with moderate to severe depressive symptoms took part in either a combined setting consisting of one night wake therapy followed by 2 weeks bright light therapy or in a setting of bright light therapy alone. Depressive symptoms, general psychopathology, clinical impression and sleep behavior were measured before (T1), directly after (T2) and 2 weeks after intervention (T3). Depressive symptoms decreased while sleep quality increased in both groups. The bright light therapy alone group showed further improvement at T3 in regards to depressive symptoms. Correlation analyses indicated significant negative correlations between sleep quality and awaking after restorative sleep with the depressive symptoms. However, only awaking after restorative sleep had a predictive impact on treatment outcome. The present study provides first evidence for a positive impact of chronotherapeutic interventions on treatment outcome in depressed juvenile inpatients. Bright light therapy seems to stabilize and further enhance reduction of depressive symptoms during follow-up, whereas one night wake therapy does not have an additional long-lasting impact on depressive symptoms and sleep parameters.

Cognitive-behavioral treatment of insomnia and depression in adolescents: A pilot randomized trial

We tested whether augmenting conventional depression treatment in youth by treating sleep issues with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) improved depression outcomes. We randomized youth 12–20 years of age to 10 weekly sessions of a sleep hygiene control condition (SH) combined with CBT for depression (CBT-D) (n = 20), or an experimental condition consisting of CBT-I combined with CBT-D (n = 21).We assessed outcomes through 26 weeks of follow-up and found medium-large effects favoring the experimental CBT-I arm on some sleep outcomes (actigraphy total sleep time and Insomnia Severity Index “caseness”) and depression outcomes (higher percentage recovered, faster time to recovery), but little effect on other measures. Total sleep time improved by 99 min from baseline to week 12 in the CBT-I arm, but not in the SH arm. In addition, our pilot yielded important products to facilitate future studies: the youth-adapted CBT-I program; the study protocol; estimates of recruitment, retention, and attrition; and performance and parameters of candidate outcome measures.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00949689

Enhancing the developmental appropriateness of treatment for depression in youth: integrating the family in treatment.

Treatment models for youth depression that emphasize interpersonal functioning, particularly family relationships, may be particularly promising. This article first reviews the current state of knowledge on the efficacy of psychosocial treatments for depression in youth, with an emphasis on family involvement in treatment. It then discusses developmental factors that may impact the applicability and structure of family-focused treatment models for preadolescent and adolescent youth. Finally, two family-based treatment models that are currently being evaluated in randomized clinical trials are described: one focusing on preadolescent depressed youth and the other on adolescents who have made a recent suicide attempt.