Abstract
There is paucity of mental health epidemiological data from the Middle East. Therein we present detailed clinical characterization of mood disorders patients from a university tertiary clinic established in the United Arab Emirates. The majority of patient experienced depressive and anxiety symptoms largely in the moderate range according to both self-rated and clinician rated scales, accompanied by significant co-morbidities, functional impairment, mild reduction in cognitive function, and a significant ruminative thinking style. These preliminary findings support the need for larger-scale research in the Middle East to address the burden of poor mental health affecting communities.