Essential Reads: Postpartum Depression, Is it Unipolar or Bipolar?
Vigilance is required in screening women who present with postpartum depression; a subset of women who screen positive for depression may actually have bipolar disorder.
Is Remeron (Mirtazapine) Safe to Use During Pregnancy? New Data
This study provides reassuring data on the use of mirtazapine during pregnancy, demonstrating no association between exposure and risk of major malformations or pregnancy loss.
Essential Reads – What’s the Difference Between PME and PMDD? How Should We Treat PME?
About 60% of women with mood disorders experience premenstrual exacerbation or PME of their mood during the premenstrual phase of their cycle.
Increased Risk for Postpartum Psychosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Women's Mental Health Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has observed a fourfold increase in postpartum psychosis in the pandemic.
Postpartum Depression: Unipolar or Bipolar?
About 15% of women will experience postpartum depression after the birth of a child. While most of those women will have unipolar depression, a certain number of women will have bipolar depression. At this juncture, [...]
Is St. John’s Wort Effective for PMDD?
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an herbal preparation which has been shown, in some studies, to be effective for the treatment of mild to moderate depressive symptoms. St. John’s wort is now one [...]
Perimenopausal Depression in Women with More Variable Levels of Estradiol and Lower Progesterone Levels
Women are at increased risk for depressive symptoms during the menopause transition. It has long been suspected that falling estrogen levels play a role in triggering the onset of depression; however, if all women experience [...]
Brief Report: TMS for Depression During Pregnancy
Transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS is similar to ECT but uses electromagnetic pulses to generate electrical current in specific regions of the brain that are known to modulate mood. TMS is less likely to cause [...]
Intergenerational Transmission of Depression: Telomere Shortening and Cortisol Reactivity in Girls at High Risk for Depression
In every cell, genetic material is contained within the double-stranded molecules of DNA called chromosomes. Every time a cell divides, the chromosomes are copied so that each new cell gets a copy of this genetic material. However, the process isn’t perfect – a little bit of the end of the chromosome is lost each time so the copy is not a perfect reproduction. To prevent important genetic material from being lost, the cell protects itself with structures called telomeres located at the ends of the chromosomes. Telomeres are repeating DNA sequences and proteins that act like a guard so that when the chromosome is copied, the important material is protected and only the telomere is shortened. Since telomere shortening happens every time the cell divides, telomeres act like biological clocks for the cell. When the chromosome has been copied enough times that the telomere has been completely worn away, any future copies of the chromosome may be missing important genetic material and the cell may cease to function normally.
New Research from the CWMH: CBT to Reduce Risk of Relapse in Women Attempting to Discontinue Antidepressants
Pregnancy is a time of risk for women with histories of major depression. In a study where 201 women with histories of recurrent depression were followed prospectively through pregnancy, 43% experienced a relapse of major depression during pregnancy. Relapse rates were highest in the group of women who elected to discontinue antidepressant treatment proximate to conception (68% as compared to 26% in the group of women who maintained antidepressant treatment).