Clinical psychology- depression

• What is unipolar depression characterized by?

  Persistent low mood and lack of interest
• What are the symptoms of unipolar depression?

  • Social withdrawal
  • Avolition (lack of motivation)
  • Anhedonia (no pleasure)
  • Fatigue
  • Delusions
  • Decline in physical wellbeing
  • Loss of hygiene
  • Change in appetite/weight
  • Insomnia/hypersomnia
  • Irritability/aggression
  • Constant sadness/despair
  • Guilt/shame
  • Suicidal ideation/attempts
  • Self-harm
  • Psychomotor agitation/retardation
  • Impaired concentration
• What neurotransmitter deficiency is linked to anhedonia?

  Dopamine deficiency
• What is the relationship between fatigue and neurotransmitters in depression?

  Fatigue is linked to noradrenaline deficiency
• How many symptoms are required for a depression diagnosis according to DSM-5?

  5 or more symptoms
• What is the minimum duration for symptoms to be considered for a depression diagnosis?

  At least 2 weeks
• What is the classification for mild depression according to ICD-10?

  2-3 symptoms, able to function
• How does moderate depression differ from mild depression in ICD-10?

  Moderate has 4+ symptoms and difficulty functioning
• What is the lifetime prevalence of depression?

  20%
• Which gender is more likely to experience depression?

  Women
• What is the median age of onset for depression?

  25 years old
• What does a kappa score indicate in depression diagnosis?

  Agreement among psychiatrists on diagnosis
• What was the kappa score found in DSM-5 field trials?

  0.28
• What cultural differences were observed in depression diagnosis?

  British diagnosed more depression than Americans
• What change did DSM-5 make regarding bereavement exclusion?

  Removed the exclusion for diagnosing depression
• What is the Monoamine Hypothesis in relation to depression?

  • Monoamines: serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline
  • Low levels linked to depression
  • Serotonin regulates mood and sleep
  • Dopamine relates to movement and reward
  • Noradrenaline affects alertness and energy
• What is the role of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in depression?

  Promotes neuron formation and connectivity
• What did Bell et al. (2001) find regarding tryptophan levels?

  Lowering tryptophan leads to lowered mood
• What did Martinovich et al. (2007) discover in post-mortem examinations?

  Low BDNF levels in depressed patients
• How do antidepressants affect monoamines?

  They increase monoamines at the synapse
• What is the treatment-aetiology fallacy?

  Increasing monoamines doesn't prove they cause depression
• What is the therapeutic delay in antidepressant treatment?

  Symptoms take weeks to improve
• What is the process of synaptic transmission?

  Neurotransmitters are released and bind to receptors
• What is the role of SSRIs in treating depression?

  • Block SERT protein
  • Prevent serotonin reabsorption
  • Increase serotonin availability in synaptic gap
  • Help regulate mood
• How do SNRIs differ from SSRIs?

  SNRIs block reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline
• What do MAOIs do in the treatment of depression?

  Inhibit monoamine oxidase to increase monoamines
• What did March et al. (2007) find about treatment responses?

  SSRIs and CBT had similar improvement rates
• What are the side effects of SSRIs?

  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Blurred vision
• Why might SSRIs lead to patient dropouts?

  Due to side effects affecting wellbeing
• What is the advantage of starting treatment with SSRIs for severe depression?

  They require less patient motivation
• How does personality affect treatment outcomes for depression?

  • High neuroticism or low trust improves SSRIs outcomes
  • Personality may determine treatment effectiveness
• What does Beck's negative triad consist of?

  • Negative view of the self
  • Negative view of the world
  • Negative view of the future
• What triggers negative schemas according to Beck?

  Childhood trauma and stress in adulthood
• How would a cognitive psychologist explain job loss leading to depression?

  Negative views of self, world, and future
• What is Ellis's ABC model?

  • A: Activating events
  • B: Beliefs
  • C: Consequences
• What criticism does Eysenck (1997) have of Beck's theory?

  Negative schema lacks predictive validity
• What did Evan’s et al. (2005) find regarding pregnant women and depression?

  Negative attitudes predicted depression risk
• What are the three interconnected types of automatic thinking processes in negative trials?

  Negative view of self, world, and future
• How does losing a job affect a person's thoughts according to negative automatic thinking?

  They may feel like a failure and judged
• What does Ellis's ABC model stand for?

  A= activating events, B= beliefs, C= consequences