A New Biomarker for Treatment Response in Major Depression? Not Yet.

Is a laboratory test or brain scanning method for diagnosing psychiatric disorders right around the corner? How about a test to choose the best method of treatment? Many labs around the world are working to solve these problems, but we don't yet have such diagnostic procedures (despite what some might claim). A new study by McGrath et al. (2013) might be a step in that direction, but the results are very preliminary and await further validation.The principal investigator of that study is Dr. Helen Mayberg, a leader in neuroimaging studies of major depression. She and her colleagues have pioneered the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment for severe, intractable depression, which was "the culmination of 15 years of research using brain imaging technology," says Dr. Mayberg.Psychotherapy or Drugs?The choice of treatment modality in depression, as in other psychiatric disorders, is by trial and error. If one drug doesn't work, switch to another one. If your insurance covers it, a short course of evidence-based psychotherapy1 might be in order.The whole concept of a DSM-based classification scheme for mental illnesses has come under fire, especially with the release of the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. In the real world, psychiatric disorders don't always show such clear boundaries; overlap and co-morbidity are common. The National Institute of Mental Health has endorsed a new approach, the Research Domain Criteria project, that incorporates dimensions of...
Source: The Neurocritic - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Source Type: blogs