Major Depressive Disorder Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Major Depressive Disorder - Case Study ExampleShe feels worse in the mornings, guilty and hopeless, with suicidal ideation and has highly-developed increased psychomotor retardation. She thinks she is ruining her family, who would be better off without her. These signs and symptoms indicate that she has Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as defined by criteria in the Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association APA, 2000). The criteria state that more than one important aspect of MDD, such as prolong depressed conceit, anergia, anhedonia, disturbed desire and sleep, psychomotor retardation, suicidal thought, negative thought, hopelessness, or poor concentration, should be present for no less than two weeks and not associate to somatic effects, peed by substance abuse or adverse reactions to medication.Depression is the most widespread disorder in relation to mental health. According to initiation H ealth Organisation WHO (2001), people suffering from depression account for 5 to 10% of the population. The Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health survey (AIHW, 2007) reported that it accounted for 33.7% of mental health disorders managed by general practitioners in Australia in 2003-04. Most studies show that the development of MDD has a higher incidence in females than males in their life time, being found in females twice as much as in males (APA, 2000 Varcarolis, 2006, pp.326-327 WHO, 2001). Typically, MDD is more likely to occur in females aged between 20 and 40 years senior (WHO, 2001). Causes assumed include responsibilities of multi-tasking, for instance, domestic and office work, wife and parenting roles, or the menses might contribute to the prominent prevalence of depression in females (APA, 2000 WHO, 2001). However, race, earnings, education or matrimony are not related to the frequency of MDD (APA, 2000 Varcarolis, 2002. p.454 WHO, 2001).2. Pathophysiology of depr essionDepression arises due to multifactorial causes, including biochemical, cognitive, hereditary and environmental factors, and sleep abnormalities (Varcarolis, 2002, pp.456-460 Varcarolis, 2006, pp.330-333). In Isabels case, a apt assumption would be that the major pathophysiologic causes might be biochemical, cognitive factors, and sleep abnormality.There are many studies to indicate that biochemical imbalance can cause depressive disorders, in relation to certain neurotransmitters, mainly serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine in the brain, which are known to play a role in the regulation of mood (Varcarolis, 2002, pp.456-460 Varcarolis, 2006, pp.330-333). The dysfunctional regulation of serotonin is related to decreased sex drive, appetite and sleep disturbance, as serotonin is particularly important in controlling sleep, appetite and sexual drive (Varcarolis, 2006, p.331 Zarate & Charney, 2003, pp.464-468). Reduction of noradrenaline can lead to loss of energy, interest, conc entration, and decreased sexual drive (Varcarolis et al., 2006, pp.460-464 Zarate & Charney, 2003, p.464-468). The depletion of dopamine can be associated with loss of indigence and interest, because it contributes to the stimulation of the system of circuits of motivational behaviour in