Scientists have identified a new subtype of depression that may be affecting as many as one in four patients, a discovery that could lead to new medical and behavioural treatments.
This could explain why traditional antidepressant treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) do not work well for some people.
"Depression is not a uniform illness and understanding the characteristics of different subtypes means that we can give people earlier access to treatments that will be most effective for them," said Emiliana Tonini, an author of a new study detailing the condition published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.