Do insomnia symptoms affect antidepressant treatment in depression?
Original Title:
The Course of Insomnia Symptoms During the Acute Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: A CAN-BIND-1 Report
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37163883/
Insomnia, characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, is a common condition often reported alongside depression. While many studies have explored the relationship between the two, there is limited research on how insomnia changes throughout the course of treatment with antidepressant medication. Understanding how insomnia affects treatment with antidepressants could lead to more effective strategies for managing symptoms of both depression and insomnia.
This study aimed to fill the gaps in what we know about insomnia and antidepressants by looking at how insomnia symptoms change in patients being treated for major depressive disorder (MDD). CAN-BIND researchers, including Manish Dama and Venkat Bhat, along with their colleagues, examined the results of the CAN-BIND-1 study, which recruited 180 patients diagnosed with MDD to take part in an 8-week treatment with the commonly prescribed antidepressant medication, escitalopram. Throughout the treatment period, the patients completed assessments to track their depression symptoms and different aspects of their sleep. This included measures of difficulty falling asleep (sleep-onset insomnia), waking up during the night (mid-nocturnal insomnia), waking up too early (early-morning insomnia), and overall sleep quality.
The results showed that patients who experienced significant improvement in their depression symptoms (known as remission) also saw a reduction in their insomnia symptoms compared to those who did not achieve remission. Specifically, those who reached remission reported less trouble falling asleep, fewer awakenings during the night, and better overall sleep quality throughout the 8-week treatment period. These findings suggest that monitoring insomnia symptoms during antidepressant treatment could help predict whether individuals will achieve remission of depression.
By monitoring changes in patient sleep patterns, healthcare providers may be able to tailor treatment strategies to better address the needs of individuals struggling with depression, particularly those experiencing both insomnia and depression simultaneously.
Citation: Dama M, Wu M, Tassone VK, Demchenko I, Frey BN, Milev RV, et al. The course of insomnia symptoms during the acute treatment of major depressive disorder: A CAN-BIND-1 report. Psychiatry Res 2023;325:115222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115222