Depression and Drugs: The Neurobehavioral Structure of a Psychological Storm (SpringerBriefs in Psychology)

This book integrates the current state of knowledge on the association of neurochemical and psychological factors underlying the concept of depression or on the process and nature of the drug-induced changes that lead to recovery. Highlighting the results of two major multisite collaborative studies of the psychobiology of depression, the author demonstrates how more refined clinical methods uncover the initial behavioral actions of the drugs and chart the time course of their actions. The results disconfirm earlier textbook reported findings that these actions are delayed for several weeks beyond the almost immediate neurochemical effects. The “multivantaged” method makes possible distinguishing the clinical actions of different classes of antidepressant drugs.​ ​ "In the 1950s, psychiatric "miracle drugs" revolutionized the treatment of depression, improving the quality of life of countless patients. Over half a century and millions of prescriptions later, advances in brain structure, neurochemistry, and genetics are providing clues to the mechanisms of depression and pointing to new therapeutic possibilities. Depression and Drugs makes the most of these recent developments, introducing both a neurobehavioral theory of chemical/behavioral interactions and a practical framework for modernizing the conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of depression. Its multidimensional analysis offers insights into the brain structures most affected by the disorder, and the complex phenomena involved in medication. By focusing on cognitive, behavioral, and mood effects as well as brain chemistry, the author identifies false leads that have led to impasses in developing better antidepressants and explains why "mild" cases are often the hardest to treat. These groundbreaking ideas bring readers their closest to scientifically answering the eternal questions How do depressive states form? and How do drugs resolve them? Included in the coverage: Dimensions versus diagnosis in depression research. The experience of the severe depressed state. The componential approach to developing measures of mood and behavior. Testing new hypotheses about chemistry, depression, and drugs. Developing a more effective clinical trial model. Plus appendices detailing emerging assessment methods. This knowledge has the potential for sparking change across a number of fields, making Depression and Drugs of immediate interest to graduate students in psychology and medicine, practicing clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical psychopharmacologists, and basic researchers in psychology and neuropsychopharmacology." -- Library of Congress Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Introduction....Pages 1-7 Uncovering the Interaction of Chemistry and Behavior in Depression: The Dimensional Versus Diagnostic Approaches in Structuring Research....Pages 9-14 Depression is a “Storm” not a Lowering of Spirit: The Experience and Psychology of the Severe Depressive State....Pages 15-20 “Rashomon” and the Componential Approach to Developing Measures of Mood and Behavior....Pages 21-33 Dimensions of Depression: The Conflictual Structure of the Depressed State....Pages 35-37 False Assumptions: The Multidimensional Quality and its Relationships to Functioning of the Central Nervous System....Pages 39-52 Testing New Hypotheses About Neurochemistry, Depression, and Drugs....Pages 53-59 Developing a More Effective and More Efficient Clinical Trial Model....Pages 61-72 Elaboration of the New Theory of Depression and Conclusions....Pages 73-80 Back Matter....Pages 81-92 Martin M. Katz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.