Poster
37
(#37) "Brightening Effect" and Symptomatic Improvements Following Major Depressive Disorder Treatment With Antidepressants
Psych Congress 2025
Abstract: Background: The "brightening effect" in major depressive disorder (MDD) refers to improvements in a subset of symptoms (eg, loss of interest and self-motivation) occurring in the initial period of antidepressant treatment despite persistence of other depressive symptoms. This real-world study assessed these effects in individuals treated with common antidepressants.
Methods: Online interviews were performed using the Ad-Infer EVAL system (AI diagnosis/data collection). Initial interviews (wave [W]1) were conducted May-October 2024; follow-up (W2) occurred September 2024-March 2025, with 56.4% of initial participants taking part in W2. The adjusted final sample (considering age, sex, and physician specialty) comprised 75 individuals on fluoxetine or paroxetine (group [GR]1), 44 on bupropion (GR2), and 40 on vortioxetine (GR3).
Results: Most W2 participants were women (GR1, 81.0%; GR2, 54.5%; GR3, 77.5%). Brightening effects were observed in the 3 groups between W2 and W1: decrease in loss of interest/pleasure, GR2 (38.8% vs 77.8%; P 0.001) and GR3 (44.4% vs 60.9%; P=0.03); increase in social interaction satisfaction, GR1 (78.0% vs 48.0%; P 0.001), GR2 (63.9% vs 50.0%), GR3 (72.0% vs 38.1%; P=0.001); increased motivation, GR2 (84.4% vs 54.5%; P=0.003), GR3 (63.2% vs 41.3%; P=0.05); and decrease in cognitive impairment, GR1 (28.6% vs 51.4%; P 0.005), GR3 (20.0% vs 37.5%; P=0.05). More participants reported fewer suicidal thoughts in GR2 (P=0.008) and GR3 (P=0.0002) and decreases in suicidal attempts in GR1 (P=0.02) and GR3 (P=0.02).
Conclusion: Findings evidence a "brightening effect" consisting of antidepressant-related symptomatic improvement in anhedonic symptoms with bupropion and vortioxetine whereas all medications improved cognition and suicidality.
Short Description: The symptomatic reactivity to antidepressant treatment is based on improvement in mood and cognitive functioning in depressed individuals, while the "brightening effect" is based on the improvement of loss of interest and self-motivation, even in the presence of persistent depressive symptoms. This real-world study, conducted via online AI-powered interviews, demonstrated antidepressant-related symptom improvement including greater reduction of anhedonic symptoms in the bupropion and vortioxetine groups compared with the fluoxetine/paroxetine group.
Name of Sponsoring Organization(s): Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
Methods: Online interviews were performed using the Ad-Infer EVAL system (AI diagnosis/data collection). Initial interviews (wave [W]1) were conducted May-October 2024; follow-up (W2) occurred September 2024-March 2025, with 56.4% of initial participants taking part in W2. The adjusted final sample (considering age, sex, and physician specialty) comprised 75 individuals on fluoxetine or paroxetine (group [GR]1), 44 on bupropion (GR2), and 40 on vortioxetine (GR3).
Results: Most W2 participants were women (GR1, 81.0%; GR2, 54.5%; GR3, 77.5%). Brightening effects were observed in the 3 groups between W2 and W1: decrease in loss of interest/pleasure, GR2 (38.8% vs 77.8%; P 0.001) and GR3 (44.4% vs 60.9%; P=0.03); increase in social interaction satisfaction, GR1 (78.0% vs 48.0%; P 0.001), GR2 (63.9% vs 50.0%), GR3 (72.0% vs 38.1%; P=0.001); increased motivation, GR2 (84.4% vs 54.5%; P=0.003), GR3 (63.2% vs 41.3%; P=0.05); and decrease in cognitive impairment, GR1 (28.6% vs 51.4%; P 0.005), GR3 (20.0% vs 37.5%; P=0.05). More participants reported fewer suicidal thoughts in GR2 (P=0.008) and GR3 (P=0.0002) and decreases in suicidal attempts in GR1 (P=0.02) and GR3 (P=0.02).
Conclusion: Findings evidence a "brightening effect" consisting of antidepressant-related symptomatic improvement in anhedonic symptoms with bupropion and vortioxetine whereas all medications improved cognition and suicidality.
Short Description: The symptomatic reactivity to antidepressant treatment is based on improvement in mood and cognitive functioning in depressed individuals, while the "brightening effect" is based on the improvement of loss of interest and self-motivation, even in the presence of persistent depressive symptoms. This real-world study, conducted via online AI-powered interviews, demonstrated antidepressant-related symptom improvement including greater reduction of anhedonic symptoms in the bupropion and vortioxetine groups compared with the fluoxetine/paroxetine group.
Name of Sponsoring Organization(s): Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
