The global burden of depression is high for women in both high income and low-and-middle income countries WHO. Depression is particularly common during pregnancy and in the postnatal period and phenomenology said to be the same as in non-child bearing age. Despite high prevalence of prenatal and postnatal depression in Pakistan, research on the effectiveness of psychological interventions is limited.

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) intervention for maternal depression in Karachi, Pakistan.

A total of 50 mothers aged 18 years and above with children below 3 years of age, and experiencing mild to moderate depression were recruited. Assessments were done using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and EuroQol-5D at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and EQ-5D were also used to measure self-esteem and health related quality of life. Participants were randomly assigned into IPT plus treatment as usual (TAU) and TAU groups. Ten sessions of group IPT were delivered to intervention group.

Results indicated significant difference between intervention and control group on EPDS. The mean score at baseline for the IPT group (mean = 14.76) reduced to (mean = 6.40) (P < 0.000) at 3-month and to (mean = 6.64) (P < 0.001) at 6-month intervals as compared to TAU (mean = 11.44) (P < 0.000) at 3-month and to (mean = 11.08) at 6-month (P < 0.001) after randomisation.

IPT is a successful fit for women with maternal depression in low-income areas and IPT can be the appropriate treatment option as it is time limited, specific, and evidence based.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) is high in low and middle-income countries. The prevalence rate of postnatal depression in Pakistani women and its effect on the growth and development of young children and child mortality is very high. Despite availability of interventions to improve maternal health, the major issue in implementation of those interventions is because of limited availability of trained health professionals.

The aim of this study is to deliver CBT based intervention called “change your life with 7 sheets of paper” to women with mild to moderate PND through trained Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).

During first stage of this rather blind feasibility randomized control trial 5 TBAs were trained to deliver CBT. Total 36 participants with PND having child between the ages 0–12 months will be recruited from community. Participants will be assessed using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and World Health Organization Quality of Life scale at baseline and then at 3 months. Eight group sessions of CBT will be delivered by trained TBAs.

Outcome assessments will be done after completion of intervention of intervention i.e., 3 months after baseline. Preliminary findings will be presented in the conference.

Findings from this trial will help us to understand how the involvement of TBAs can help in overcoming the challenge of non-availability of trained health professionals and in attainment of millennium development goals of reducing mother and child mortality.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression has been linked to decreased levels of vitamin D in adults and the altered dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D has been reported to have implications for the development of depressive symptoms. Although, the relation between vitamin D and depression has been established, it is not yet clear whether the supplementation of vitamin D could affect the clinical manifestation of depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether the supplementation of vitamin D could affect the development/course of depression.

A systematic literature search was performed for randomized control trials (RCTs) in which vitamin D was supplemented and depression was measured.

Six studies were identified as being eligible to be included in this review. The results regarding the supplementation of vitamin D and its effect on the course and manifestation of depression were conflicting. One study concluded that the supplementation of vitamin D3 had beneficial effect in depression and another study reported no improvement in the indices of mental well-being in the vitamin D supplemented group and rejected the hypothesis that an annual high dose of vitamin D3 could prevent depressive symptoms. The remainder four studies reported inconclusive results regarding vitamin D supplementation and the course of depression.

As current literature displayed contradictory results and no sound conclusion could be drawn regarding the supplementation of vitamin D and its effect on depression, there is a need of RCTs to determine whether the supplementation of vitamin D levels could affect depression.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Family plays a pivotal function in life of all human being and their significance even increases with the age. However, living in a elderly home may result in a multitude of losses which must be addressed by individual through the process of grief.

The purpose of this study was to explore situations of loss and grief among institutionalizes elders.

It is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research. Data was collected from two Portuguese elderly homes in the municipality of Viseu, Portugal. A purposeful sample of 7 elders was recruited, and audiotaped face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Three dimensions of emotional loss were created: loss by death, loss by separation and other losses. Loss by separation was further divided into three subcategories: marriage separation, family separation and separation of peers living in the elderly home. The death of a loved one reminds the elderly individual of his/her own mortality, complicating the process of mourning. Separation, however is much more difficult to overcome because there is a loss among the living, with the possibility to lose the meaning of life with the other one.

Understanding loss and grief among elderly people is fundamental for nursing care, in order to help them with the process of coping and to prevent institutionalization to become an unpleasant experience. This will also offer health care facilities suggested ways to reduce or combat loneliness and depression among the elderly people.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The aim of this study was to assess period prevalence and risk factors of peripartum depression in South Korean women.

Two thousand four hundred and forty-nine women in their first trimester of pregnancy were recruited, 1355 women were followed to the end of the study (1 month after delivery), 423 women are before the 1 month after delivery, 671 were dropped out. There were four time points of assessment – 12, 24, 36 weeks of gestation and 1 month after delivery. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated Korean version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Risk factors were assessed across the demographic features, past histories, obstetric histories, and psychological status.

The prevalence of peripartum depressive symptoms (above 10 points of K-EPDS) was found to be 18.8% at 1st trimester, 12.9% at 2nd trimester, 12.6% at 3rd trimester, and 15.7% at 1 month after delivery. Identified risk factors of depression at 1st trimester were unmarried status, employed status, low family income, familial history and past history of depression, multigravida, unplanned pregnancy, hyperemesis, and threatened abortion. In psychological aspects, higher distress, lower marriage satisfaction, and lower quality of life increased the risk of depression. The analyses to identify risk factors of postpartum depression will be performed after the deliveries of recruited mothers are complete.

A substantial proportion of mothers suffered from peripartum depression from their early pregnancy in Seoul, Korea. Intervention based on identified risk factors would be recommended to help depressive pregnant mothers.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression is one of the main causes of incapacity worldwide. Research has shown that mindfulness practice, self-compassion promotion, and spiritual well-being are beneficial for depressed individuals.

Analyze the associations between compassion, mindfulness, and spiritual well-being, during and after a therapeutic intervention (concluded less than a year ago).

To determine if mindfulness, self-compassion, and spiritual well-being are predictors of depression.

Patients diagnosed with chronic depression were treated in a residential therapeutic community for a period of six to eight months. The 63 participants (M = 32.84, SD = 10.24, range = 15–50 years old; 32 during treatment; 31 after treatment) were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, the Questionnaire of the Five Facets of Mindfulness, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire.

There were differences in mindfulness, self-compassion, spiritual well-being and depression by sex, existence of previous psychiatric treatment, moment of the study (during versus after intervention), and depression levels. After intervention the group had higher levels of mindfulness and self-compassion (common humanity) and lower levels of over-identification, compared with group during treatment. The predictors of depression were the self-judgment dimension of the self-compassion scale and, negatively, the mindfulness dimensions of non-reactivity and non-judging, and the spiritual well-being dimension of personal well-being.

Results confirm the relationship between the study variables and depression. This reinforces the importance of intervention based on positive psychology enhancing positive areas of human experience, rather than focusing on psychological pain, weaknesses, and disabilities.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The cerebral blood flow (CBF) is an absolute measure that superior to the relative measure of neural activity, blood oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD). The previous studies have reported CBF abnormalities in the adult depressive patients. However, it is not clear whether the abnormal CBF could be improved in the remitted geriatric depression (RGD).

We enrolled 82 RGD patients and 90 age and education matched healthy controls. All the subjects underwent 3-T MRI with pseudo arterial spin labeling (pASL), and the pASL data were analysis voxel-by-voxel with control the gray matter volume.

Compared with the healthy controls, the RGD patients demonstrated higher relative CBF value in left inferior temporal gyrus and left precuneus; while lower relative CBF value in right medial temporal and occipital cortex, right insula operculum (including parts of frontal, temporal and parietal cortex) and insula, right medial frontal cortex. When compared with the remitted early onset depression (EOD), the remitted late onset depression (LOD) showed lowed relative CBF value in right angular gyrus. While there was no significantly different relative CBF value between the RGD patients accompany with MCI and RGD patients with cognitive normal.

The late life depression persists with CBF abnormalities in the remitted state. And it is implicit that hyperperfusion in the left brain cortex and hypoperfusion in the right brain cortex could be the specific form to RGD patients.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Although the relationship between the content of stress and serious diseases, such as depression is not so obvious, underlying mechanisms encouraging more and more authors to define a ‘civilization syndrome’ as a link between our modern lifestyle, the civilization we live and psychosocial health problems. With regard to the ‘civilization syndrome’, there are several new candidates that have been spotted as the challenges for psychiatric research, like burnout, infertility and solitude. All these phenomena seem to increase epidemically and require urgent conceptual and therapeutic studies.

. The program was addressed to three groups of patients with burnout, infertility, and social relationship/loneliness crisis.

Using the new stress reduction program (SRP), engaging both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approach, and also several lifestyle factors, like physiotherapy, nutrition aspects, coaching, social media contact and monitoring, most of patients improved in terms of emotional and behavioral markers, in short- and long-term (4–6 months) observations.

Patients and clients (N43) with F3.x-F4.x disorders according to ICD-10.

A variety of PRS scales were used to assess patients’ improvement outcomes. Significant reductions (4–6 months) were observed at Maslach Burnout Inventory (–23.4%, P = 0.000), Fertility Problem Inventory (–34.5%, P = 0.000), UCLA Loneliness Scale, ver. 3 (–43.3%, P = 0.000), and Perceived Stress Scale (44.0%, P = 0.000).

This program interplays between stress and mental health problems and opens up new possibilities for diagnosis and therapy, focusing on the challenges of civilization, and especially opens up preventive options in stress-related problems and diseases, which represent a growing health burdens in modern society.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression is associated with the metabolic syndrome (MS). Recently, the concept of ‘metabolic depression’ has been proposed based on a protracted course of depressive symptoms over time.

Within the Netherlands study of depression in older persons, we examined whether metabolic dysregulation predicted the two-year course of depression.

A cohort study (n = 285) of depressed persons (≥60 years) with two-year follow up. Depression was classified according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Severity of depression was assessed with sum score as well as subscale scores of the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS) at six-month intervals. The metabolic syndrome was defined according the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP-ATP III). We applied logistic regression and linear mixed models adjusted for a wide range of confounders and severity of depression at baseline.

The number of MS-components predicted non-remission at two-years (OR = 1.28 [95% CI: 1.00–1.58], P = 0.047), which was driven by waist-circumference, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. MS was only associated with the somatic symptom subscale score of the IDS over time, but not with its sum score (interaction time × somatic subscale, P = 0.002). This effect was driven by waist circumference, elevated fasting glucose level and hypertension.

Metabolic dysregulation predicts the course of late-life depression. This effect seems to be driven by visceral obesity (as indicated by the waist circumference) and lipid dysregulations and with respect to the somatic symptoms of depression.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Although self-compassion has been pointed as an effective strategy for coping with depression, there are not any studies investigating its association with lifetime history of depression (LTHD).

To compare self-compassion levels in pregnant women with vs. without LTHD and to analyze if self-compassion dimensions are significant predictors of LTHD.

Four hundred and twenty-seven pregnant women with a mean age of 33 years (±4.785) in their second trimester of pregnancy completed the Self Compassion Scale validated for pregnancy (SCS; Bento et al., 2015) and a new self-report questionnaire to evaluate the presence of LTHD according to DSM-5 criteria for depression.

Ninety-seven (23.0%) women had LTHD. Bisserial Spearmen correlations between LTHD and SCS total score were significant, negative and moderate (r = –0.31). SCS subscales, except Common Humanity, showed significant correlations: Self-Kindness/SK (r = –0.130), self-judgement (SJ) (0.313), isolation (0.357), mindfulness (r = –0.102), over-identification (OI) (r = 0.393). Independent sample t tests revealed that women with vs. without LTHD had significantly lower levels of total SCS, SK and Mindfulness scores and higher levels of SJ, Isolation and OI.Logistic regression (assumptions were fulfilled, Tabachnick and Fidell, 2007) showed that the SCS explained 26.7%–43.6% of the LTHD variance and correctly classified 86.9%; the odds ratio (OR) was.865 (95% CI 0.834–0.898; P < 0.001). The model composed by the correlated dimensions explained 15.9%–24.0% and correctly classified 80.6%. Odds ratios: SK = 0.017; SJ = 0.021; isolation = 16.027; mindfulness = 0.167 and OI = 20.178 (all P < 0.05).

Self-compassion, specifically the ability to treat oneself with care and understanding and to be aware and accepting one's present-moment experiences, decrease the probability of having LTHD.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression is recognized as more frequent psychiatric disorder in epilepsy patients with significant impact on their health-related quality of life.

To analyze the occurrence and clinical particularities of different types of interictal depression in epilepsy patients.

One hundred and fourteen epilepsy patients with interictal depression were assessed with a clinical interview and Hamilton depression and anxiety rating scales. Diagnostic criteria of ICD-10 and of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) were used.

A total of 45.6% of patients met ILAE criteria of inerictal dysforic disorder (IDD) with predominance of depressive mood, irritability, fear and atypical pain. All patients had chronic epilepsy with specific epileptic personality changes. Comorbid adjustment disorders (depressive and anxious-depressive reactions) were diagnosed in 27.2% of patients. The most frequent trigger situations were: family problems, serious illness, unemployment, financial difficulties. In more than half of patients were registered specific personality changes whose severity was in inverse ratio with trauma severity. A total of 18.4% of patients met criteria of comorbid affective disorder (depressive and bipolar) with some specific clinical traits due to personality changes. In 8.8% of patients, anticonvulsant-induced depression was observed; it was clinically simple, resolved after offending medication withdrawal.

Observed depressive disorders were heterogeneous: comorbid or attributed to epilepsy or its treatment. The most frequent condition was IDD. Specific personality changes may contribute to higher susceptibility and development of psychogenic depression. We emphasize the importance of treatment history (possibility of anticonvulsant-induced depression).

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

We previously discovered that spadin, a short analogue of the propeptide (PE) released from the maturation of sortilin, displays potent antidepressant properties. Since the PE level can be measured in the blood, we aimed to investigate how the PE serum concentration is regulated in mice. We wondered whether the PE serum levels vary between healthy subjects and patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

We developped a dosing method based on the AlphaScreen™ technology (Perkin) which allow to selectively detect both PE, spadin and metabolic products from these peptides with a detection range of 1 ng/mL.

We found that insulin significantly up-regulated serum PE concentration from 26.15 ± 2.63 to 41.43 ± 6.27 nM (P = 0.0318). Analysis during circadian cycle in mice revealed that the amount of PE and its derivatives significantly varied during the cycle being higher during the period of maximal activity (dark period). We also measured serum insulin concentration between 1 and 7 pm and observed a significant rise confirming the relationships between insulin and PE concentration. We showed that the serum level of PE is lower in depressive patients than in healthy non-psychiatric. We observed that the weaker level of PE in depressive patients can recover the level of healthy subjects after a chronic antidepressant treatment.

Dosing the serum level of PE could be a promising approach for the diagnosis of depression and to determine the remission of the disease.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The urgency of depression treatment in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is determined by the increasing prevalence of affective disorders. For these patients, tolerance and safety of antidepressants are of great importance.

To obtain additional data on therapeutic efficacy and tolerance of agomelatine in the treatment of mild to moderate depressive disorders in cardiologic practice in Russia.

Eight hundred and ninety-six adult patients with CVD (86.5% arterial hypertension, 29.5% stable angina, 16% myocardial infarction, 23.6% conduction disturbances, 17.6% chronic heartfailure) were treated with agomelatine 25-50 mg for 12 weeks. Depression and anxiety symptoms were evaluated via Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI-S and CGI-I), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Spielberger Anxiety Scale (SAS), Whitely Hypochondria Index (WHI) and quality of life questionnaire (SF-36). Safety and tolerance were also monitored according to the summary of product characteristics recommendations.

HADS scores decreased throughout the study and severe anxiety rate decreased from 95.9% to 15%. After 12 weeks of treatment, remission (HADS < 7) rate was 84.6%. Subjective assessment of patient health significantly improved (P < 0.00001). WHI decreased significantly (P < 0.00001). Physical and mental health significantly improved (P < 0.00001). Heart rate and blood pressure decreased. Treatment acceptability was considered “excellent” by 82% of doctors and 75% of patients.

Agomelatine significantly improved depressive symptoms, anxiety and hypochondria in depressed patients with CVD and demonstrated good tolerance. This suggests the possibility of wide and safe use of agomelatine for treatment of depression in patients with CVD.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Personality traits have been associated with risk for depressive disorders. Studies with premorbid measures on personality are uncommon.

Estimate effect of premorbid personality as a predictor for remission in depressive disorders.

To study premorbid personality as a predictor for remission in depression in a population based sample.

The sample is based on the large Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Temperament traits were measured at age 31 years using the Temperament and Character Inventory. At the age of 46 years depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI). The sample included those with self-reported life-time depression history at age 46 years but not yet at age 31 years (n = 298). Temperament at age 31 years was used to predict remission (BDI≤13) at age 46 years using logistic regression analysis, with gender and educational level as confounders. Cohen's d was used as effect size measure.

Two hundred and one (67.4%) of individuals with self-reported depression were on remission at the follow-up. Low harm avoidance (total scale, and subscales anticipatory worry, shyness, and fatigability), low impulsiveness and high exploratory excitability (subscales of novelty seeking), and low sentimentality (subscale of reward dependence) predicted significantly remission with effect sizes between 0.28 and 0.45, highest effect being in harm avoidance.

Different temperament traits were able to predict remission status in depression. Effect sizes were between small and moderate. Temperament may associate with treatment response in depression.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Studies have been reported the similar efficacy of antidepressants (effect size around 0.3), and it is difficult for clinicians to select an antidepressant. This may partly due to the use of a p<.05 null-hypothesis significance testing (NHST) framework to evaluate “substantial evidence”. This framework only allows dichotomous conclusions and does not quantify the strength of evidence supporting efficacy. In addition, meta-analyses based on publications may offer positively biased results due to selective publications.

Demonstrate that the Bayesian framework can provide valuable information on the strength of the evidence for drug efficacy.

Re-evaluate the efficacy of FDA-approved antidepressants applied to anxiety disorders and depression by means of Bayes factors.

To avoid selective publication, data of double-blind placebo-controlled trials for FDA-approved antidepressants for the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression were extracted from the FDA. Bayes factors (BFs) were calculated and compared with the results obtained under NHST framework.

A large variance of evidence for the efficacy of antidepressants was found for both depression and anxiety disorders. Among trials providing “substantial evidence” according to the FDA for anxiety disorders, only 27 out of 59 dose groups obtained strong support for efficacy according to the typically used cut-off of BF≥20. For depression, all FDA-approved antidepressants had BF≥20, except for bupriopion. Moreover, it was shown that the tested antidepressants can be differentiated based on the strength of evidence and effect size.

The BFs quantified the comparative evidence base for the efficacy of antidepressants.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression and anxiety were common psychiatric morbidity among breast cancer patient. This study aims to study the level of depression, anxiety, QoL and PSS among Malaysian breast cancer women over a period of 12 months and their associations at baseline, 6 and 12 months.

It is a 12-months prospective cohort study. Two hundred and twenty one female patients were included into the study. They were assessed at the time of diagnosis, 6 months and 12 month using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (QLQ–C30), Version 3.0 and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Relevant socio-clinical characteristic information was collected.

The HADS anxiety and depression subscales scores of the subjects were relatively low. The level of anxiety reduced significantly at 6 and 12 months (baseline – 6 months, P = 0.002; baseline – 12 months, P < 0.001). There were no changes in the level of depression over the study period. The global status of QoL and MSPSS scores were relatively high. There was positively correlation between the global status of QoL and MSPSS for the study subjects (Spearman's rho = 0.31–0.36). Global status of QoL and MSPSS scores were negatively correlated with anxiety and depression.

Malaysian breast cancer women had relatively better QoL with lower level of anxiety and depression. Perceived social support was important associated factor for better QoL with low level of psychological distress. It reflected the importance of enhancing and maintaining the social support system for breast cancer patients.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the second leading cause of disability in China.

To analyze functioning during the course of treating MDD in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

To study the influence of pain and clinical remission on functioning.

This was a post-hoc analysis of a 6-month, prospective, observational study (n = 909) with 422 patients enrolled from China (n = 205; 48.6%), Taiwan (n = 199; 47.2%) and Hong Kong (n = 18; 4.2%). Functioning was measured with the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), pain with the Somatic Symptom Inventory, and severity of depression with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report 16 (QIDS). Patients were classified as having no pain, persistent pain (pain at any visit) or remitted pain (pain only at baseline). A mixed model with repeated measures was fitted to analyze the relationship between pain and functioning.

At baseline, 40% of the patients had painful physical symptoms. Patients with pain had a higher QIDS and lower SDS (P < 0.05) at baseline. At 6 months, patients with persistent pain had lower functioning (P < 0.05). The regression model confirmed that clinical remission was associated with higher functioning at endpoint and that patients with persistent pain had lower functioning at endpoint when compared with the no pain group.

Patients presenting with pain symptoms had lower functioning at baseline. At 6 months, pain persistence was associated with significantly lower functioning as measured by the SDS. Clinical remission was associated with better functional outcomes. The course of pain was related to the likelihood of achieving remission.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Depression is a disabling disorder with a high socio-economic impact. It might require hospitalization for symptom control and/or harm prevention. Other depressive disorders might as well require hospitalization in benefit of the patient. Hospitalization may be involuntary. Hospitalization willfulness in depressive patients has not been systematically studied in recent years.

The aim of this study is to explore the necessity of involuntary hospitalization in patients presenting depressive symptoms at the emergency service that were later diagnosed with a depressive disorder.

From all patients visited in the psychiatric emergency service from 2012 to April 2015 those that were hospitalized in the acute mental health unit and diagnosed with a depressive disorder were studied. All those monopolar depression diagnoses were considered, excluding those within the bipolar spectrum. Diagnosis followed CIE-9 criteria. A descriptive cross-sectional study of the samples was then conducted. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill.).

From all 385 depressive disorders, 169 were involuntary admissions (43.9%), 196 were voluntary (50.9%) and 20 were scheduled (5.2%), difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Mean age, was 59.52 years for involuntary admissions, 61.7 for voluntary and 63.6 years for scheduled, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Gender differences were not significant.

Most depressive disorders were hospitalized voluntarily. However, a relevant percentage of patients required involuntary hospitalization. Younger patients presented a higher ratio of involuntary hospitalization. Reasons for involuntary hospitalization needs should be further studied.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest. Liliana Galindo is a Rio Hortega fellowship (ISC-III; CM14/00111).

A considerable amount of studies support the association of depression with nutritional factors, especially fruit and vegetables. Little evidence exists concerning mood and nutritional habits of pregnant women in Greece.

Our specific objective was to examine potential relationships between fruit and vegetable consumption and depression in pregnant women.

The overall aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional habits and the depression level of healthy pregnant women in Greece.

Eighty-eight healthy pregnant women, aged 25–44 years (mean± standard deviation: 32.41 ± 3.9), were studied with the aid of a questionnaire addressing eating habits and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Twenty-four women were found having mild to moderate depression (score 20–24, according to BDI) associated with lower consumption of salads (P < 0.05). No association was found between depression and consumption of fruit or fruit juices, or prescribed supplements (Ca, Fe, Mg, folic acid).

Interestingly, in our sample an association of depression in pregnancy was found with the consumption of salads but not fruit or fruit juices. The presence of vitamin B in vegetables is one of the factors differentiating them from fruit. So it might be a crucial element for further research.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.