Remission and functioning in major depressive disorder

Abstract

Evidence from numerous clinical studies has shown that the optimal goal for the treatment of depression is remission. Remission implies that the signs and symptoms of the disease are absent or virtually absent, which is typically associated with a return to the patient’s previous daily functioning. Functioning in depression is a broad concept that covers different domains. There are many validated instruments for its assessment, these being reviewed in this article. Furthermore, recovering the pre-morbid level of functioning level is increasingly being identified as a significant target in addition to symptomatic remission. In this sense, functional recovery has been associated with better prognosis of depression and is also a clinical goal expressed by the patient. Several factors, like complete remission of symptoms, with no residual symptoms, maintenance of remission, quality of remission, early remission, have been identified as contributors to functional recovery. In order to facilitate the clinical outcomes, evaluation of and search for symptomatic remission as well as functional recovery need to be integrated into the clinical practice.