Relationship between obesity and depression: characteristics and treatment outcomes with antidepressant medication.

Objective: Obesity and major depressive disorder often co-occur. However, differences between obese and normal-weight depressed patients and the moderating effect of obesity on antidepressant treatment outcome are not well studied.

Methods: Adults (n = 662) with major depressive disorder in the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes study were randomized to treatment with escitalopram plus placebo, bupropion plus escitalopram, or venlafaxine plus mirtazapine for a 12-week primary treatment phase and 16-week follow-up.

Effects of serum Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor on exercise augmentation treatment of depression.

Background: Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) has potential as a biomarker of depression treatment because serum BDNF in depressed human subjects is decreased and normalizes with treatment. The relationship between serum BDNF and exercise treatment of depression is not known. The Treatment with Exercise Augmentation for Depression (TREAD) study examined dosed exercise augmentation treatment of partial responders to antidepressants.