The CORE system for sub-typing melancholic depression: Adaptation and psychometric properties of the Spanish version.

We report the development procedure for a Spanish version of the CORE measure for subtyping melancholic depression and its psychometric properties. The sample comprised two subsets of depressive patients: 117 in-patients clinically assessed after admission and before discharge; and 34 in- and out-patients who were video-recorded, with each recording being rated by independent raters and re-rated six months later. The internal consistency of the Spanish version of the CORE was high, with Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.

Cognitive impairments and depression: a critical review.

Cognitive impairments are core symptoms of depressive disorders. We assess the systematic reviews and meta-analysis studies published over the last 10 years (2004-2014) that address cognitive performance of depressed patients and taking into account age; clinical and demographic features; symptom severity; number of previous episodes; clinical remission; depressive subtypes and pharmacological treatment. Twelve (12) papers were included after search in international databases.

Cognitive impairment in remitted and non-remitted depressive patients: A follow-up comparison between first and recurrent episodes.

Cognitive impairment is a core symptom of depressive disorders associated with poor social function. New research is needed to analyze depression-related symptoms in cognitive impairment and to observe if they are reversible or not during clinical remission in patients with or without previous episodes. None of the previous studies has analyzed the differences between first and recurrent episodes in a long-term follow-up study related with remission state.

Efficacy of low-intensity psychological intervention applied by ICTs for the treatment of depression in primary care: a controlled trial.

Background: Depression is one of the most common disorders in Psychiatric and Primary Care settings and is associated with significant disability and economic costs. Low-intensity psychological interventions applied by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) could be an efficacious and cost-effective therapeutic option for the treatment of depression. The aim of this study is to assess 3 low-intensity psychological interventions applied by ICTs (healthy lifestyle, positive affect and mindfulness) in Primary Care; significant efficacy for depression treatment has previously showed in specialized clinical settings by those interventions, but ICTs were not used.

Cognitive function after clinical remission in patients with melancholic and non-melancholic depression: a 6 month follow-up study.

Background: Cognitive symptoms are core symptoms with an impact on functioning in depression. Remission is considered as the main objective of the management and treatment of depression. This study was aimed to compare cognitive performance between melancholic (MelD) and non-melancholic depression (NMelD) and to determine whether these cognitive alterations remain after clinical remission.

[Validation of the Spanish version of the Screening for Somatoform Symptoms-2 scale for use in Primary Care].

Objective: To study the diagnostic validity and to provide the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Spanish version of the Screening for Somatoform Symptoms-2 (SOMS-2) scale in a PC population sample.

Design: Validation study.

Setting: PC centres in Aragon and Balearic Islands, Spain.

Metabolic syndrome improvement in depression six months after prescribing simple hygienic-dietary recommendations.

Background: Changes in diet and exercise have been separately demonstrated to improve Depression, although scientific evidence available is scarce. In a previously published controlled study, just recommending these and other lifestyle measures (sleep restriction and sunlight exposure) in combination once, patients experienced improvements in their depressive symptoms six months later. In this sample, one in three depressive patients had metabolic syndrome (MetS) at baseline.

Therapeutic adherence in primary care depressed patients: a longitudinal study.

Introduction: Lack of adherence has been associated to lower efficacy of anti-depressant treatment, increasing the risk of recurrence and persistence of clinical symptoms. Patients with poor medication adherence have more concomitant medical illnesses and somatic symptoms. Furthermore, this increases use of healthcare services.

The Mediterranean diet and micronutrient levels in depressive patients.

Introduction: An inverse association between depression and some serum micronutrient levels (selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamin B and folic acid) has been reported. In addition, other studies reported that this micronutrient supplementation may improve depressed mood. The Mediterranean diet contains a sufficient amount of the micronutrients mentioned, although no study has reported an association between diet prescription and increased levels of them in depressive patients.

[Prevalence and factors associated to mental disorders in primary care attenders aged 75 and older].

Background: Mental disorders in old age are a major public health problem. However, few epidemiological studies provide data on prevalence and risk factors of mental illness in older old population. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of common mental disorders and their associated factors in primary care patients over 75 years.

Hygienic-dietary recommendations for major depression treatment: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Depression is a highly prevalent and disabling mental disorder with an incidence rate which appears to be increasing in the developed world. This fact seems to be at least partially related to lifestyle factors. Some hygienic-dietary measures have shown their efficacy as a coadjuvant of standard treatment.

Adherence to lifestyle recommendations by patients with depression.

Introduction: There is an increasing amount of evidence showing that physical activity and sun exposure are effective coadjuvant treatments for patients with mild to moderate depression. However, there is a lack of information regarding patient's adherence to these recommendations in daily clinical practice.

Methods: We conducted a study including 15 depressive patients who had been under antidepressant treatment for at least one month.

Clinical differences between early and late remission in depressive patients.

Objective: Predicting treatment outcome at an early stage is clinically relevant. The main objectives are: to compare rates of remission after acute and continuation phase treatment and to determine the most common residual symptoms among remitted patients; to compare the residual symptoms in early and late remitted and to identify factors that predict early or faster remission.

Method: It is a prospective, naturalistic, multicenter, and nationwide epidemiological study of 1595 depressive outpatients.

Effectiveness of hygienic-dietary recommendations as enhancers of antidepressant treatment in patients with depression: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In recent years some studies have been published supporting the efficacy of light exposure, physical activity, sleep control and a Mediterranean diet pattern on the improvement or prevention of depression. However, to our knowledge, there have been no studies using all these measures together as an adjuvant antidepressant strategy.

Methods: Multicenter, randomized, controlled, two arm-parallel, clinical trial.

Melancholic versus non-melancholic depression: differences on cognitive function. A longitudinal study protocol.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction is common among depressed patients. However, the pattern and magnitude of impairment during episodes of major depressive disorder (MDD) through to clinical remission remains unclear. Heterogeneity of depressive patients and the lack of longitudinal studies may account for contradictory results in previous research.