The Science Of Depression Flashcards
What is depression
Low mood
Anhedonia
Low energy
What are biological symptoms of depression
Poor sleep
Poor appetite
Reduced libido
Poor concentration
What are cognitive symptoms of depression
Worthlessness/poor self esteem
Guilt
Hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts
What is the HPA axis
Hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal axis
What does history of child maltreatment causes
More likely to experience depression in there older life and have increased release of ACTH in response to stress
How does steroids affect the brain
Neurotoxic
Cause neuro-vulnerability
Affect dendrite formation
Reduces neurogenesis
Causes changes to the EEG
Where in the brain does stress affect more
Frontal lobes and hippocampus
Where in the frontal lobe does stress affect most
Medial pre-frontal cortex
Dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex
What happens to the hippocampus in depression
Reduces in size
Has a dose effect in relation to how it is affected
What is neurogenesis
In the 20th century it was thought the brain was fixed and with the same amount of neurons and we never got new ones
Why are new neurons made in the brain
Hippocampus
What Dow regulates neurogenesis
Stress
How does stress affect dendrites of the neuron
Reduced neurotrophins (cell signaller) to tell neurons to keep growing dendrites and not to go into apotosis
How do antidepressants work
Antidepressants increase GR expression
They increase neurogenesis
Improve connectivity with neurons and increase the number of synapses
