S12) Mood Disorders Flashcards
Patients with depressive disorders usually have the symptoms continually for 2 weeks.
What are the core symptoms of depression?
- Low mood
- Lack of energy
- Lack of enjoyment and interest (anhedonia)
Apart form the core symptoms, what are other features of depressive disorders?
- Depressive thoughts
- Biological symptoms (loss of weight, lack of sleep, etc)
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
There are many illnesses that can cause depressive symptoms.
Provide five examples
- Hormone disturbance e.g. thyroid dysfunction
- Vitamin deficiencies e.g. vitamin B12
- Heart and lung diseases
- Blood vessels malfunction
- Kidney disease
Identify three brain structures involved in depressive symptoms
- Limbic system
- Frontal lobe
- Basal ganglia
Identify some structures in the limbic system
What are the functions of the limbic system?
- Emotion
- Motivation
- Memory
Identify some functions of the frontal lobe
- Motor function
- Language (Broca’s area)
- Attention
- Memory
- Mood
Identify some psychological functions of the basal ganglia
- Emotion
- Cognition
- Behaviour
What are the two main neurotransmitters for depressive disorders?
- Noradrenaline
- Serotonin
Identify some other neurotransmitters which are important in psychiatric conditions
- Dopamine
- Acetylcholine
- GABA
- Glutamate
What are the functions of noradrenaline in the brain?
- Mood
- Possible role in behaviour (arousal and attention)
- Implicated in memory functions
Describe the synthesis and transport of noradrenaline
Noradrenaline is made in the locus coeruleus in the brainstem and transported to several areas of the cortex
What is the role of serotonin in the brain?
- Sleep
- Impulse control
- Appetite
- Mood
Describe the synthesis and transport of serotonin
Serotonin is produced in the brain stem (Raphe nuclei) and transported to cortical areas and limbic system
Which three factors cause people to become clinically depressed?
- Predisposing factors
- Precipitating factors
- Perpetuating factors
Identify some predisposing factors of depression
- Genetic
- Childhood experiences
- Female gender
Identify some childhood experiences causing depression
Causation is cumulative:
- Quality of attachment
- Quality of parental relationships
- Loss of a parent
- Bullying
In research woman are consistently found to be more likely to suffer from an affective disorder.
What are the possible reasons for this?
- 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
Social stressors are identified as a perpetuating cause for depression.
Provide some examples of this
- Social economic status
- Unemployment
- Financial hardship
- Isolation from family and friends
Central to the available treatments is that the function of the brain is restored.
How can depression be treated?
- Medication – direct effect on the biochemistry of the brain
- Social and psychological interventions e.g. CBT – measurable effect on the biochemistry of the brain
Illustrate the relationship between the aetiology and treatment of depression
