| Lifetime Prevalence of Depression and the | | | | onset usually in childhood or adolescence. |
| Age-of-Onset Report Distributions of Diagnostic | | | | Interventions aimed at prevention or early |
| and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM) in | | | | treatment need to focus on youth and young |
| the National Comorbidity Survey Replication The | | | | adults. The earlier the disease is treated, the |
| paragraph title sounds complicated, but the study | | | | better chance for a successful recovery. If |
| conclusions are critical and simple to understand. | | | | traditional antidepressants do not provide |
| Lifetime prevalence estimates are as follows: | | | | adequate relief from depression , vagus nerve |
| anxiety disorders, 28.8%; mood disorders, 20.8%; | | | | stimulation therapy is a powerful yet relatively |
| impulse-control disorders, 24.8%; substance use | | | | simple procedure.Sources: Department of Health |
| disorders, 14.6%; any disorder, 46.4%. Median age | | | | Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass |
| of onset is much earlier for anxiety (11 years) | | | | (Dr Kessler; Mss Demler and Walters; and Mr Jin); |
| and impulse-control (11 years) disorders than for | | | | Institute for Social Research, University of |
| substance use (20 years) and mood (30 years) | | | | Michigan, Ann Arbor (Ms Berglund); and Section on |
| disorders. Half of all lifetime cases start by age 14 | | | | Developmental Genetic Epidemiology, National |
| years and three fourths by age 24 years. Later | | | | Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, Md (Dr |
| onsets are mostly of comorbid conditions, with | | | | Merikangas).Learn more about vagus nerve |
| estimated lifetime risk of any disorder at age 75 | | | | stimulation at Donovan was a patient in the FDA |
| years (50.8%) only slightly higher than observed | | | | investigational trial for vagus nerve stimulation and |
| lifetime prevalence (46.4%).Lifetime prevalence | | | | depression. He testified to the Panel at the |
| estimates are higher in recent cohorts than in | | | | Advisory Meeting on June 15th. After 25 years of |
| earlier cohorts and have fairly stable intercohort | | | | chronic depression, vagus nerve stimulation |
| differences across the life course that vary in | | | | completely cured his chronic depression. The |
| substantively plausible ways among | | | | author is so grateful and humbled by this |
| sociodemographic subgroups.Conclusions: About | | | | remarkable device. Learn more at his website: |
| half of Americans will meet the criteria for a | | | | There is a free newsletter to keep you |
| DSM-IV disorder sometime in their life, with first | | | | up-to-date. |