The depression market.

摘要

Depression is a mood disorder with a multitude of symptoms, including lowered mood, fatigue and disturbed sleep, anhedonia, low self-esteem and self-confidence, loss of appetite, and a low libido. The most common type is major depressive disorder (MDD), with dysthymia and bipolar disorder also being distinct depressive disorders. Despite its high prevalence-the World Health Organization estimates that depression affects about 121 million people worldwide-there are substantial obstacles to receiving treatment, including low presentation rates owing to the lingering stigma attached to mental disorders, and the misdiagnosis of symptoms. As such, only around half of the patients with MDD in the seven major markets (the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are diagnosed, and fewer receive drug treatment.