Dynamic Associations Among Motor Activity, Sleep, Energy, And Mood Could Suggest New Focus For Depression Treatment

Current theories of depression suggest that sleep problems, low energy, and low activity levels result from depressed mood, but a new study looking at interactions among these factors in people with bipolar disorder or depression suggests that the opposite may be true—that instability in activity and sleep systems could lead to mood changes. The study, conducted by researchers in the NIMH Intramural Research Program, suggests new targets for depression treatment. The study findings were published online December 12 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. A podcast with lead investigator Kathleen Merikangas, Ph.D., Chief of the NIMH Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, also is available.   View Study Findings Here . . .