Remission as the critical outcome of depression treatment.

Major depressive disorder is currently the fourth largest contributor to the worldwide burden of disease. Direct and indirect costs associated with depression place a significant burden on the health care system and society. Despite the development of new antidepressant medications, the management of patients with depression remains a therapeutic challenge. Obtaining a response in antidepressant therapy-commonly defined in clinical trials as an improvement of >erotonergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission, will increase the likelihood of remission.