title: Anhedonia among patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A comparison between patients on escitalopram and healthy controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Escitalopram has widely been recognized as one of the most frequently used antidepressants, with superior tolerability and great efficacy in preventing major depressive disorder (MDD) relapse and recurrence. However, anhedonia, which is a core symptom of MDD, remains difficult to treat. This study investigates the hedonic levels of MDD patients treated with Escitalopram.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 108 participants, 26 of whom with MDD on Escitalopram, were recruited in this cross sectional study. They were evaluated using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires to assess their hedonic state, general mental health condition and level of depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study shows that most items in the SHAPS scores are significantly different between MDD patients on Escitalopram and the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hedonic capacity remains different between the two groups despite patients with MDD are put on Escitalopram treatment. Escitalopram fails to alleviate the hedonic state of MDD patients. Antidepressants that improve both depressive symptoms and hedonic states should be considered when treating MDD patients in clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Clinical Academic Unit, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059445:Anhedonia; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D015283:Citalopram
keywords: Anhedonia; Depression; Escitalopram; Pleasure