Mood Disorders

Full course description

This course is intended to give the student an overview of current concepts and research in the field of mood disorders. During the course, fundamental aspects of onset and course of the most important mood disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder and dysthymia) will be addressed. Over the last couple of decades, it has become increasingly clear that mood disorders are chronic psychiatric disorders characterised by acute episodes, relapses, recurrences and residual symptomatology. Both onset and course of mood disorders are the result of complex interactions between distal (e.g. genetic and developmental) and proximal (e.g. severe life events) risk factors. This is illustrated by discussion of mood disorders across the life span in the light of biological, psychological and social approaches. Current research strategies aimed at clarifying the role of these different aspects will be the central theme throughout the course. Based on this framework, state-of-the-art treatments for mood disorders are addressed and illustrated where possible.