Major depressive disorder

• The prospective, multi-site open-label optimization study (OLO) is designed to further evaluate the effectiveness of the investigational SAINT Neuromodulation System for the treatment of adults with MDD.
• The SAINT Neuromodulation System may yield a new form of personalized, focused neurostimulation in adults with major depression.
• Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) can leave sufferers feeling like they are out of options," said Owen Scott Muir, M.D.
• This study is the first time the SAINT Neuromodulation System has been studied at multiple sites in a large sample of individuals with major depression.

• And young people may say they feel so “depressed” about upcoming exams, or that the world is “just so depressing” these days.
• But how do you know if your teen is experiencing what health professionals call “major depression”?
• Major depression is characterised by persistent low mood and/or irritability and loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities for at least two weeks.

Increasing over time

• There is evidence depression is increasing among young people, with an international study in 2021 estimating 25% of children and adolescents experienced elevated depression symptoms – double pre-pandemic levels.
• Given the understandable distress experienced by many young people, how can parents or carers know when to seek help?

Listen up

• Let them know you have noticed some changes and you are concerned about them.
• If your child opens up about their difficulties, listen carefully and validate their feelings.
• Being able to talk about difficulties, and knowing support is there if they need may be enough for some teens.

Start with a GP

• The first step to finding appropriate treatment will likely be supporting your teen to see a GP.
• The GP may refer them to a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.

What does depression treatment look like?

A recent review on recognising and managing teen depression examined clinical practice guidelines from Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and New Zealand found a comprehensive treatment approach is typically used. Treatment can include:
• They are typically used in cases of severe depression, or if psychological treatments have been unsuccessful.
• However, untreated depression is also a risk factor for suicide, so the potential benefits and risks of antidepressant use by teens needs to be carefully considered.

Assessing risk

• Suicide risk assessment is a critical part of any treatment for depression, and should include the development of a safety plan with the teen and their parents or carers.
• Safety plans can be very helpful in times of distress, listing helpful coping strategies and contact details for family, friends and health professionals.
• If you are concerned your teen might be at risk of suicide, take it seriously.
• Louise Birrell receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian government and Australian Rotary Health.
• She receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Government, BHP Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation and other research organisations.

• In the Phase I/IIa SPL026 study, patients were required to be withdrawn from SSRIs, which can be a disruptive experience.
• Through the SPL026-SSRI drug interaction study, Small Pharma aimed to address this requirement, which could enable broader patient recruitment on future large-scale studies, and potentially accelerate the clinical development pathway.
• Additionally, removing the requirement to be withdrawn from SSRIs may facilitate patient access to SPL026 earlier in the MDD treatment journey, if approved.
• Efficacy was assessed using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating scale (MADRS) to measure any change in patients’ depression symptoms from baseline.

• The practical application of BNA™ in a real-world clinical scenario has demonstrated promising results in enhancing treatment outcomes for patients in psychiatric care.
• TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Firefly Neuroscience Inc. is thrilled to announce the groundbreaking findings of the recent comprehensive study, which explored the potential benefits of utilizing the Brain Network Analytics (BNA™) technology as a disease management program in psychiatric practice.
• The study amassed data from 2,253 patients who sought treatment at a prominent psychiatric and multispecialty clinic in the US.
• Jon Olsen, Chief Executive Officer at Firefly Neuroscience Inc., commented, "These findings underscore the transformative potential of BNA™ technology in revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.