A team of Australian researchers has identified a new subtype of depression that they call “circadian depression.” The condition is linked to disruptions in the body’s internal clock and may be less responsive to conventional antidepressant treatments.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Psychiatry and are based on clinical and genetic data from 11,380 Australians who were largely suffering from severe and recurrent depression.
Researchers found that nearly a quarter of the participants – 23% – displayed the circadian pattern of symptoms. These individuals show a distinct relationship between their mood and the timing of day, suggesting that circadian rhythms play a key role in their condition.
Because circadian depression appears to respond less well to standard antidepressants, the study highlights the need for alternative therapeutic approaches that target the body’s internal clock.
Further research will be required to develop specific treatments and to confirm whether circadian depression is a distinct clinical entity across different populations.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
