In this issue

摘要

This issue contains two reviews on neurobiological and neurocognitive aspects of depression, and a commentary and paper on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a treatment for depression. Other sets of papers examine various aspects of common mental disorders, suicide, and alcohol use and common mental disorders. In the first review, Bhagwagar & Cowen (pp. 307-313) review recent developments in the study of persistent neurobiological abnormalities in patients recovered from depression. They found a growing body of evidence to suggest such abnormalities (e.g. changes in the availability of serotonin receptor subtypes, increases in cortisol secretion), usually observed in the acute phase, persist in recovery and after medication is stopped. However, the authors note that it is still unclear which abnormalities precede onset and which are a consequence of recurrent depressive illness.