The study found that 27% of the participants had more prominent symptoms of cognitive slowing and insomnia, and impaired cognitive function on behavioral tests. Photo: Pexels
(Eglė Krištopaitytė/ Health News) — Researchers have identified a new subtype of depression affecting about one in four patients, which is less responsive to common antidepressants.
Nearly one in five American adults have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime, according to 2020 data. Although a wide variety of antidepressants is available to people with the condition, about 60% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) experience some degree of nonresponse to first-line treatments.
The newly identified subtype of depression — labeled the cognitive biotype — is characterized by slowed thinking, sleeping problems, poor social and occupational function, and a weaker response to commonly prescribed antidepressants. The research team led by Stanford University hopes that the identification will lead to better diagnosis and treatment of the condition. (…)
