Depression Flashcards
Give 7 examples of mental health conditions
- depression
- bipolar disorder
- eating disorders (anorexia nervosa/bulimia)
- borderline personality disorder
- schizophrenia
- anxiety
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- phobias
Give 5 symptoms of depression:
- consistent low mood
- lack of energy
- lack of enjoyment in normal activities
- poor concentration
- altered sleeping habits
- loss/gain of weight
- irritability
- guilt
- worthlessness
- thoughts of harming oneself/suicide
How long must depressive symptoms persist for before a formal diagnosis can be made?
two weeks
Name the four overlapping domains of depressive symptoms and give 3 examples of symptoms which exist in each domain:
- mood changes: low mood, feelings of guilt, excessive irritability
- cognitive impairment: poor attention span, decreased motivation, short term memory deficits
- motor deficits: motor slowing, restlessness, agitation
- circadian dysregulation: low energy, poor sleeping habits, weight loss/gain
Give the 5 risk factors for depression
gender: women are more likely to develop depression than men
childhood experience: those who have experienced trauma during childhood are more likely to develop depression (e.g. poor relationship with parents, abuse, divorce)
personality types: those who have a neurotic personality are less able to process and cope with stressful situations leading to depression
major life changes: stress, bereavements, trauma. Other factors such as lack of social support, financial pressures or loneliness may further increase the risks of developing depression
certain physical illnesses: such as hypo/hyperthyroidism, diabetes.
What is the basic premise of the neurochemical dysregulation theory of depression?
Depression is caused due to reduced numbers of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Which neurotransmitters are thought to be lacking in the neurochemical dysregulation theory of depression?
Serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine
What category of neurotransmitter do serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine fall into?
Monoamines
What are the three major classes of antidepressant drugs?
SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), MAOI’s (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) and tricyclic antidepressants.
Which neuroendocrine pathway is responsible for the secretion of cortisol?
The hypothalamic pituitory adrenal axis (HPA axis)
What does the amygdala release in response to fear stimuli?
Corticotrophin releasing factor
Where is the amygdala located?
In the limbic system
What does corticotrophin releasing factor release from the amygdala stimulate the hypothalamus to release?
Further corticotrophin releasing factor
What does corticotrophin releasing factor released from the amygdala and the hypothalamus stimulate the pituitary gland to release?
Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)
Where does adrenocorticotrophic hormone travel in the bloodstream to?
The adrenal cortex
What does adrenocorticotrophic hormone release in the adrenal cortex?
Cortisol
What is the effect of cortisol on the body?
It enables the body to deal with stressful situations effectively
Via a negative feedback system, increased cortisol levels act on glucocorticoid receptors in the hypothalamus- what does this achieve?
Binding of glucocorticoid receptors inhibits the release of corticotrophin releasing factor and adrenocorticotrophic hormone from the hypothalamus, reducing the release of cortisol.
What is the link between childhood trauma and
cortisol/corticotrophin releasing factor receptors in the brain?
Those children who experienced trauma in childhood are likely to have less corticotrophin releasing factor and cortisol receptors in the brain due to prolonged exposure to cortisol during childhood. This means they are less able to cope well with stress in adulthood leading to depression.
How do cortisol levels effect serotonin levels?
Increased cortisol results in reduced serotonin.
How do increased cortisol levels effect cytokine levels?
Cortisol causes an imbalance in inflammatory cytokines in the brain. This further causes excess production of corticotrophin releasing factor within the hypothalamus.
How does an imbalance of inflammatory cytokines and further excess production of corticotrophin releasing factor effect the hippocampus?
It causes the hippocampus to develop degenerative changes causing it to become dysfunctional resulting in inappropriate and often excessive emotional responses.
How does increased levels of cortisol effect brain development?
High cortisol levels inhibit neurogenesis within the brain i.e. the building of new neural networks and the repair of old neural networks. This can lead to areas of the brain which are undersized or malfunctioned.
Which two areas of the brain secrete neurotransmitters?
The raphe nuclei (secretes serotonin) and the locus coerulus (secretes noradrenaline)
