NAMI Ask the Expert: Recent Advancements in Treatment and Research on Major Depressive Disorder

Course overview

This course, based on the Ask the Expert webinar series by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), delves into the complexities of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The course provides a comprehensive overview of MDD, including its diagnostic criteria, symptoms, epidemiology, and the various subtypes such as melancholic, atypical, and anxious depression. The presentation examines risk factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and societal stressors that contribute to the rise of depression worldwide and the increasing prevalence of MDD in younger populations. The course, with an intended audience of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors, then presents current approaches and recent biological treatment advances for MDD, such as improved understandings of GABA and glutamate and psychedelic-assisted therapies. Discussions emphasize the importance of precision psychiatry and early intervention strategies to improve treatment outcomes.