Depression Flashcards
What is a mood disorder?
General emotional state or mood is distorted or inconsistent with your circumstances & interferes with your ability to function.
What is Major Depressive Disorder? (MDD)
Individuals experience persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness & lose interest in activities they once enjoyed.
Prevalence of depression?
1 in 6.
What are some physical changes from depression?
Stomach problems and chronic pain.
How many symptoms are to be diagnosed?
At least 5 out of 9 over 2 weeks.
Is there a link to genetics?
Yes. 2-3 times greater rates of depression if a first-degree relative had it.
What is the monoamine hypothesis?
Traditionally depression is thought to be strictly due to a deficit in monoamine signaling.
What is a deficit in signaling?
Limited release of NTs, deficits in the ability to clear NTs in the synapse, limited receptors to bind to, low affinity, etc.
What is the evidence for the Monoamine Hypothesis?
MAO inhibitors are effective antidepressants.
What are SSRIs?
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are antidepressants that block the reuptake of serotonin at synapses.
What are SNRIs?
Selective noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are antidepressants that block the reuptake of noradrenaline at synapses.
What happened to the monoamine hypothesis?
It has been debunked.
What is the evidence against the Monoamine Hypothesis?
There is little evidence that low levels of these neurotransmitters cause depression. Not everyone is cured, or even helped.
What is the Glucocorticoid hypothesis?
The glucocorticoid hypothesis suggests that dysfunctional regulation of the HPA axis stress response contributes to depression.
What is hypercortisolemia?
Chronic stress.
HPA axis dysregulation in depression?
Impaired engative feedback of HPA axis. The brain is not able to response to elevated blood cortisol by shutting down CRH, ACTH, and cortisol secretion.
What is GR?
Glucocorticoid receptor.
What has a lower sensitivity to cortisol?
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR).
What happens to the hippocampus during depression?
Neuroimaging studies have shown reductions in hippocampal volume in patients with depression.
What happens when left untreated?
More neurotoxicity. (kill neurons)
What is neurogenesis?
Process of creating new neurons.
How is cortisol affecting neurogenesis?
The process is blocked by cortisol and certain cytokines (like IL-1).
How does estrogen affect depression?
Estrogen itself seems protective against stress and depression.
What about the follicular phase?
The negative feedback system is more efficient during the follicular phase, when estrogen is high.
When does mood drop for women?
Luteal phase.
What is psilocybin?
A compound found in various species of fungi (mushrooms). Inactive, but when ingested/absorbed, immediately converted to psilocin, which has hallucinogenic effects.
How does psilocin affect depression?
Psilocin is an agonist to several serotonergic receptors, especially 5HT2A; structurally similar to serotonin.
