Breaking through depression : a guide to the next generation of promising research and revolutionary new treatments

Breaking through depression A guide to the next generation of promising research and revolutionary new treatments

Philip W. Gold, 1944-

Book - 2023

"Breaking through depression explores how the anatomy of the brain and the biochemistry of nerve impulses play a major role in how we view ourselves and the world. Drawing from his long-term research, Dr. Philip Gold makes the case for depression arising at the intersection of genetic vulnerability with stressful, disturbing life experiences that get encoded in our emotional memory. Breaking through depression will delve into the interplay between our anatomy and our lived experiences as the key to understanding why there are such individual differences in how we make connections with others, deal with adversity, or recover from trauma. More importantly, Dr. Gold reveals the latest breakthroughs that can heal people struggling with dep...ression, including: -The FDA has fast-tracked Psilocybin and Ketamine as an anti-depressant treatments, which cause immediate improvement in depressive symptoms. -Low-energy lasers have been developed that can stimulate these areas directly and painlessly to relieve symptoms in treatment-resistant patients suffering from major depression. -Scientists are developing genetically 'thumbprinted' antidepressants that can be individually tailored to match a person's DNA increasing their effectiveness. -Inflammation in the body and the brain is a prominent component of depressive illness, to the point that anti-inflammatory agents are useful in the treatment of depression. -Incredible progress with gene therapy including a treatment overcoming the BDNF gene mutation that interferes with resiliency, promotes vulnerability to depression, and inhibits the capacity of antidepressants to work effectively. These are just a few of the fascinating new developments explored in Breaking through depression and the many reasons for hope that Dr. Gold shares in this groundbreaking book"--

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Subjects
Depression, Mental.
Published
New York, NY : Twelve 2023.
Language
English
Main Author
Philip W. Gold, 1944- (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
xiii, 257 pages ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-244) and index.
ISBN
9781538724613
  • Preface
  • Introduction
  • 1. William's Anguish
  • 2. When Psychiatry Met Biology
  • 3. Stressed and Depressed
  • 4. The Brave New World of First-Generation Antidepressants (1960-2010)
  • 5. The Art of Therapy
  • 6. Genetics, Destiny, and Depression
  • 7. Darkness Visible
  • 8. Hormones and Depression
  • 9. Depression's True Toll
  • 10. When Children Suffer
  • 11. Bipolar Disorder
  • 12. The Power and Promise of Lithium
  • 13. Shock Therapy
  • 14. Psychedelics and Connection
  • 15. A Newer Understanding of Older Antidepressants
  • 16. The Promise and Peril of Ketamine
  • 17. Breaking Through Depression
  • 18. Building Resiliency
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Bibliography
  • Index
  • About the Author
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A leader in the field explains how the nightmare of depression is slowly being overcome. Gold, who has worked at the National Institutes of Health since the mid-1970s, is an acclaimed expert in the treatment of depressive disorders. In this book, he looks ahead to an emerging generation of remedies. The author estimates that 15%-20% of the population suffer from depression in some form. For decades, depression was seen as an illness to be treated by psychiatric methods, but the past 20 years have seen the emphasis shift to biology. Health professionals now view depression as a neurodegenerative disease associated with the loss of tissue in key parts of the brain, resulting in chemical imbalances and synaptic failures. In particular, Gold believes that depression represents a stress response that has gone awry. Working from this premise, scientists have designed new drugs to help the brain rebuild pathways and repair damaged tissue. There is the possibility of treatments customized to the needs of different patients, and early research is promising. The author tracks the history of antidepressants, drawing on cases and clinical studies, including ones in which he was personally involved. Drugs like psilocybin and ketamine are now being used, and they have the advantage of taking effect quickly. Another area of research is targeted electrical stimulation of the brain, including repeated magnetic pulses. Researchers are also investigating the genetic aspects of depression, which might open the way for gene therapy and drugs to build resilience. Gold emphasizes that he is not against psychiatric treatment. In fact, he sees psychotherapy and biochemical therapy in combination as the most effective way to treat depression. The book could easily have become bogged down in technical jargon, but the author writes accessibly, making the book an informative, enjoyable read. A fascinating look at a debilitating malady and the new wave of thinking and treatments. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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