Research by the National Institutes of Health shows that you lose gray matter volume (GMV) when you suffer from depression. This loss is caused by parts of your brain shrinking due to the hormone cortisol impeding the growth of your brain cells. The more serious depression a person suffers, the more GMV they lose.
The main subcortical limbic brain regions implicated in depression are the amygdala, hippocampus, and the dorsomedial thalamus. Both structural and functional abnormalities in these areas have been found in depression. Decreased hippocampal volumes (10, 25) have been noted in subjects with depression.
A PET scan can compare brain activity during periods of depression (left) with normal brain activity (right). An increase of blue and green colors, along with decreased white and yellow areas, shows decreased brain activity due to depression.
A depression is a severe drop in GDP that lasts for a year or more. It is characterized by massive job losses, widespread bankruptcies, and steeply declining prices for goods and services.
An international team of scientists led by Joanna Moncrieff of University College London screened 361 papers from six areas of research and carefully evaluated 17 of them. They found no convincing evidence that lower levels of serotonin caused or were even associated with depression.
However, researchers believe that an imbalance of these neurotransmitters is a major factor in the development of depression. A dopamine imbalance can cause depression symptoms, such as apathy and feelings of hopelessness, while a serotonin imbalance can affect the processing of emotions.
For decades, the prevailing theory has been that depression is caused by a lack of serotonin. But now, there's compelling evidence that dopamine is equally important for a positive mood and good mental health.
The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe. At its mildest, you may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make you feel suicidal, that life is no longer worth living. Most people experience feelings of stress, anxiety or low mood during difficult times.
The biological factors that might have some effect on depression include: genes, hormones, and brain chemicals. Depression often runs in families, which suggests that individuals may inherit genes that make them vulnerable to developing depression.
Mobilizing the economy for world war finally cured the depression. Millions of men and women joined the armed forces, and even larger numbers went to work in well-paying defense jobs. World War Two affected the world and the United States profoundly; it continues to influence us even today.
The majority of changes and damage to the brain caused by untreated depression are not believed to be permanent, but more research is still needed. When depression is effectively treated, most people commonly experience an improvement in symptoms, and their brains return to typical function and structure.
Loss of volume of the part of the Brain
Results of several MRI scan studies have demonstrated people with depression had a hippocampus volume that was up to 10% lower than people without depression.
People with clinical depression often have increased levels of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), an enzyme that breaks down key neurotransmitters, resulting in very low levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
For years, a chemical imbalance of serotonin has been widely viewed as the culprit for depression, resulting in the widespread use of antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which boosts serotonin in the brain.
There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.
Can antidepressants cause permanent changes to the brain? Antidepressants can cause changes in neurotransmitter levels and brain function; however, these changes are typically reversible once the medication is stopped.
Clinical depression is a chronic condition, but it usually occurs in episodes, which can last several weeks or months. You'll likely have more than one episode in your lifetime. This is different from persistent depressive disorder, which is mild or moderate depression that lasts for at least two years.
People who feel they are having a nervous breakdown can: have anxiety that they can't manage. feel isolated — disinterested in the company of family and friends, or withdrawing from usual daily activities. feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions.
But some cases of depression are more severe, with intense symptoms that may include significant appetite and weight loss, sleep problems, and frequent thoughts of death or suicide. Such depression can be paralyzing. You may isolate yourself and have trouble getting out of bed or leaving the house.
Depression is about 50% more common among women than among men. Worldwide, more than 10% of pregnant women and women who have just given birth experience depression (2). More than 700 000 people die due to suicide every year.
There is no cure for depression, but many different treatments are available to manage the symptoms. The symptoms of depression vary among individuals. A treatment plan that includes medical interventions, support, and lifestyle changes can enable a person to live a normal and full life with the condition.
Low dopamine symptoms can include a lack of enthusiasm for things you usually enjoy and are interested in. Plus, having low dopamine may have a low sex drive. You may also experience physical troubles such as insomnia, tremors, muscle spasms, stiffness, and difficulty moving.