S12) Mood Disorders

Question 1

Patients with depressive disorders usually have the symptoms continually for 2 weeks.

What are the core symptoms of depression?

Answer 1

• Low mood
• Lack of energy
• Lack of enjoyment and interest (anhedonia)

Question 2

Apart form the core symptoms, what are other features of depressive disorders?

Answer 2

• Depressive thoughts
• Biological symptoms (loss of weight, lack of sleep, etc)

Question 3

Compare and contrast the difference between a ‘normal’ adjustment reaction and clinical depression in terms of the following:

• Symptom onset
• Energy
• Sleep pattern
• Appetite
• Emotions

Answer 3

Question 4

There are many illnesses that can cause depressive symptoms.

Provide five examples

Answer 4

• Hormone disturbance e.g. thyroid dysfunction
• Vitamin deficiencies e.g. vitamin B₁₂
• Heart and lung diseases
• Blood vessels malfunction
• Kidney disease

Question 5

Identify three brain structures involved in depressive symptoms

Answer 5

• Limbic system
• Frontal lobe
• Basal ganglia

Question 6

Identify some structures in the limbic system

Answer 6

Question 7

What are the functions of the limbic system?

Answer 7

• Emotion
• Motivation
• Memory

Question 8

Identify some functions of the frontal lobe

Answer 8

• Motor function
• Language (Broca’s area)
• Attention
• Memory
• Mood

Question 9

Identify some psychological functions of the basal ganglia

Answer 9

• Emotion
• Cognition
• Behaviour

Question 10

What are the two main neurotransmitters for depressive disorders?

Answer 10

• Noradrenaline
• Serotonin

Question 11

Identify some other neurotransmitters which are important in psychiatric conditions

Answer 11

• Dopamine
• Acetylcholine
• GABA
• Glutamate

Question 12

What are the functions of noradrenaline in the brain?

Answer 12

• Mood
• Possible role in behaviour (arousal and attention)
• Implicated in memory functions

Question 13

Describe the synthesis and transport of noradrenaline

Answer 13

Noradrenaline is made in the locus coeruleus in the brainstem and transported to several areas of the cortex

Question 14

What is the role of serotonin in the brain?

Answer 14

• Sleep
• Impulse control
• Appetite
• Mood

Question 15

Describe the synthesis and transport of serotonin

Answer 15

Serotonin is produced in the brain stem (Raphe nuclei) and transported to cortical areas and limbic system

Question 16

Which three factors cause people to become clinically depressed?

Answer 16

• Predisposing factors
• Precipitating factors
• Perpetuating factors

Question 17

Identify some predisposing factors of depression

Answer 17

• Genetic
• Childhood experiences
• Female gender

Question 18

Identify some childhood experiences causing depression

Answer 18

Causation is cumulative:

• Quality of attachment
• Quality of parental relationships
• Loss of a parent
• Bullying

Question 19

In research woman are consistently found to be more likely to suffer from an affective disorder.

What are the possible reasons for this?

Answer 19

• Social and occupational role (marriage, child care)
• Men are more likely to distract themselves from depressed mood
• Woman are more willing to admit to being depressed

Question 20

Social stressors are identified as a perpetuating cause for depression.

Provide some examples of this

Answer 20

• Social economic status
• Unemployment
• Financial hardship
• Isolation from family and friends

Question 21

Central to the available treatments is that the function of the brain is restored.

How can depression be treated?

Answer 21

• Medication – direct effect on the biochemistry of the brain
• Social and psychological interventions e.g. CBT – measurable effect on the biochemistry of the brain

Question 22

Illustrate the relationship between the aetiology and treatment of depression

Answer 22