Neuroscience - Depression Flashcards
What are the types of depression?
- Unipolar depression
- Bipolar depression
What are the 2 types of Bipolar depression?
Type 1: > Mania episodes with/without depression
Type 2: Hypomania and always with episodes of major depression
What does the depression criteria look like?
There is a list of varying descriptive statements the individual must agree/disagree with. If they have 5 or more of the symptoms within the same 2 week period then they are considered to have depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure
What are the emotional symptoms associated with depression?
- Apathy
- pessimism
- negativity
- low self esteem
- feeling guilty
- loss of motivation
- indecisiveness
What are the biological symptoms associated with depression?
- Reduced activity
- Loss of libido
- sleep disturbance
- loss of appetite
What general medical conditions are often found with depression?
- Terminal illness
- Chronic illness
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Neurological disease
- Stroke
- Drug abuse
- Parkinson’s disease
- Anxiety
What are the 2 theories of depression?
Monoamine Theory - Schildkraut, 1965
Neuroendocrine Theory
What is the evidence for the Monoamine theory?
- Reduced activity of central noradrenergic and seotonergic systems
- Reserpine depletes brain of NA
- 5-HT induces depression
- Anti-depressant drugs increase amino concentration in the brain
What is the evidence against the Monoamine theory?
- Hard to show NA and 5-HT deficits in the brain
- Anti-depressant drugs take several weeks for therapeutic effect
- some anti-depressants are weak and have no amine uptake
- Cocaine blocks amine uptake and has no anti-depressant effect
- decrease in 5-HT is linked to agression rather than depression
What is the neuroendocrine theory?
hypo mesolimbic system
reduction in cortisol maybe?
CRH’s behavioural effects mimic some depression syptoms
What evidence is there for the neuroendocrine theory?
Evidence for hyperactivity of HPA in depressed patients
- increase in plasma cortisol concentration
- increase in CRH concentration in the CSF
