6- Depression Flashcards
What type of disorder is depression?
A common and serious mood disorder
3 main symptoms associated with depression
- Persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness
- Anhedonia
- Physical symptoms
What is anhedonia?
Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
How are physical symptoms also referred to?
Somatic symptoms
What key function is often affected in depression?
Sleep
How is depression diagnosed by the DSM-5?
Someone must be experiencing significant symptoms for at least 2 weeks, and these must include a depressed mood and/or loss of interest/pleasure
3 other symptoms associated with depression
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Diminished ability to think/concentrate
- Fatigue
What must symptoms cause the individual for a DSM-5 depression diagnosis?
Clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning that are important
What must symptoms not be for a DSM-5 depression symptoms?
Must not be a result of substance abuse or another medical condition
What is the lifetime prevalence of depression?
15-20%
What is 12-month depression prevalence?
About 7%
How much is prevalence increased among those between 18-29 than among those aged 60+?
3 times higher
How much higher are prevalence rates for women than men?
About 1.5-3 times higher
What is the recent trends in depression prevalence?
Increasing
What is major depressive disorder associated with?
High mortality
How is the HPA axis activated?
By a physical or emotional stressor
How is the HPA axis thought to be affected in depression?
Less well-regulated
How do cortisol levels appear to be in depression?
Increased and not regulated normally
Why is more cortisol released from adrenal glands in depression?
Caused by more release of adrenocorticotropin hormone from the pituitary gland due to the hypothalamus secreting higher levels of corticotropin-releasing factor
What do MRI studies show in patients with depression?
Reduced hippocampal volume
What does the hippocampus have a high number of?
Cortisol receptors
What is persistently elevated cortisol levels thought to lead to?
Hippocampal damage
Why does hippocampal damage further impair cortisol feedback and regulation?
As the hippocampus function is to regulate and inhibit the HPA axis
What may longer durations of untreated depressive episodes correlate with?
Reductions in hippocampal volume
