Chunk #78 — Comorbidity of Post-traumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder and immune signaling — Major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is another psychiatric illness sharing a high comorbidity with AUD. MDD is characterized by persistent low moods, cognitive impairment, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, and suicide ideation (Kennedy, 2008). In the United States, an estimated 16.1 million adults age 18 or older had at least one major depressive episode in the past year (Han et al., 2017). About 30% of individuals with MDD also report a lifetime of alcohol abuse (Brière et al., 2014; Sullivan et al., 2005). Individuals with AUD have a two- to four-fold increased risk of lifetime depressive disorders and suicide ideation according to general population studies (Krawczyk et al., 2017; Welsh et al., 2017). Depressed individuals with a positive family history of substance abuse are more likely to have attempted suicide and have a family history of suicide than those without this family history (Agrawal et al., 2017; Davis et al., 2008). Current symptoms of depression are also predictive of poorer treatment responses and higher rates of relapse for AUD and other SUDs (Brière et al., 2014; Krawczyk et al., 2017; Nunes and Levin, 2004; Wojnar et al., 2008).
