Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

MDD is a prolonged, deep sensation of sadness or feeling "down", blue, empty, hopeless, helpless or worthless. The course of symptoms varies widely such as for some individuals symptoms rarely cease, but others go several years with no or minimal symptoms. Some people may only experience one significant depressive episode in their entire life, while others require lifetime treatment.

The following are common symptoms associated with major depression:

• Feelings of sadness, loneliness, hopelessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
• Changes in weight or appetite
• Changes in sleeping pattern
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering things or making decisions
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Restlessness or sluggishness
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Tearfulness
• Irritability 
• Excessive rumination or worry

About one in six Americans experiences an episode of depression at some time during his/her adult life. (Approximately 1 in 6 of these will commit suicide in the course of his/her illness.) MDD affects about 7% of the United States population in a given year. Often, but not always, depression runs in families. 

Currently approved treatments for MDD may have side effects which some people cannot tolerate, may take three to six weeks to work, and may not work at all in one-third of the patients treated. 

Consequently, in collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies, Quantum Laboratories conducts monitored clinical testing on newer agents which offer the hope of counteracting these shortcomings. 

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) requires that the following criteria be met for a diagnosis MDD:

1. 5 or more of the following symptoms must be present during the same 2 weeks and must represent a change in prior functioning and at least 1 of the symptoms is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure.
2. Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated by either subjective account or observation by others
3. Marked diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all daily activities nearly every day
4. Significant involuntary weight loss or weight gain with a change of more than 5% in a month, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day
5. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day 
6. Psychomotor retardation or agitation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective)
7. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
8. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
9. Diminished ability to think/concentrate or indecisiveness nearly every day
10. Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a plan, specific plan for suicide or suicide attempt.
11. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment of social, occupational or other important areas of functioning. 
12. The episode is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition.

(Criteria 1 through 3 represent a major depressive episode)