Treatment-resistant Depression
Scott Aaronson, M.D.
What are the most promising therapies being researched
that may work in the future for treatment-resistant depression?
There are many medications that are being researched, including those approved
for other psychiatric conditions. For example, some antipsychotics (for schizophrenia)
are being tested with antidepressants. There are studies on newer classes
of medicines that affect different systems and different neurotransmitters
in the brain.
Another type of treatment being studied is vagal nerve stimulation. This
is a small device that is implanted and attached to the vagus nerve. It gives
an impulse every 30 seconds.
What can family members do to help someone with
treatment-resistant depression?
It is very important to be supportive, but make sure that you have someone
to process your feelings with so you don't end up feeling depressed yourself.
If someone in your family is not getting better after several months, you
may want to seek consultations from an expert in the field, in a particular
specialty. It is helpful to see what courses of treatment another specialist
may come up with.
If there is a local medical school in your area, you can call for referral
recommendations or you can ask your own psychiatrist. If you're not located
in a big city, you can contact an academic institution.
© 2001 Families for Depression Awareness
