Have you or someone you loved considered taking antidepressants for mental health, but had concerns? Listen in as Dr. Andrew Novick talks about the research and the science behind these drugs and other options for those struggling with MDD and other mental health concerns.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Andrew Novick discuss major depressive disorder (MDD) and its treatment options. Dr. Novick explains the key characteristics of MDD and discusses some of the many treatment options, which include psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy, and pharmacological interventions like SSRIs. He highlights the effectiveness of esketamine for treatment-resistant MDD, and also addresses the controversy surrounding SSRIs and the potential of new treatments like psilocybin, noting ongoing research and regulatory challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) can begin in childhood, but can often show up as irritability rather than other traditional depressive symptoms that we would see in adults. It's also more common to see it manifest during puberty, rather than before.

• Treating MDD does not require starting with psychotherapy. Medication can help more immediately, especially because there is an obstacle to accessible therapy for a lot of people. It can also be a tool used in tandem with therapy.

• While there are no blood tests or simple diagnostic tests to see if you have depression, like with an infectious disease model, there are some brain scans that can show signs of depression, especially across wide populations of individuals.

• There is no one gene that is associated with MDD. However, through research, many different genes have been identified, often related to brain function and stress response.

"If depression goes untreated, the most awful consequence of that is potential suicide." — Dr. Andrew Novick

Connect with Dr. Andrew Novick:

Professional Bio: https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/29109

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew-Novick

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annovick

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social

Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.