• Home Page
  • The Effects Of Depressive Illnesses On The Brain

The Effects Of Depressive Illnesses On The Brain

Decent Essays
Show More
There is no single known cause of depression. Rather, this seems to be the result of a combination of genetic, biochemical, and psychological.

Research indicates that depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Technologies for brain imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging, have shown that the brains of people with depression looks different from those who do not have it . The areas of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, appetite, and behavior seem to function normally. In addition, important neurotransmitters, chemicals that brain cells use to communicate, that seem to be in balance. But these images do not reveal the causes of depression.

Research indicates that depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain.

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Bupropion Case Studies
    • 1395 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Bupropion Case Studies

    Neuropsychologists used a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on depressed patients to see how differences in the brain activity when compared to normal people and the result showed that depressed patients have a decreased activity in dorso lateral pre-frontal cortex (DLPFC) but the activity of the amygdala, where is responsible to our emotional reactions such as sadness and happiness, was relatively increased (2007). It would then explain why patients who suffered from depression tend to have an emotional flooding. The monoamine hypothesis was first introduced during the 1950s and researchers found that the level of serotonin in the brain might be related to the etiology of mood disorders (Hirschfeld, 2000). Over more than three…

    • 1395 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Antidepressants Pros And Cons
    • 1665 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Antidepressants Pros And Cons

    Depression is known as “the common cold of mental illness.” In psychology we use our brains to process certain behavioral activities. If one is not behaving normally it can be hard to observe the person’s actual actions due to them not being able to…

    • 1665 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Postpartum Depression Research Paper
    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Postpartum Depression Research Paper

    Throughout the world, people know or have a relative or have a friend that has a type of depression they go through. Depression has several different types. There are different types of depression, which has many symptoms requiring various medications affecting people individually. There known problems sleeping, eating, having low-esteem (poor feeling of oneself), trouble of concentrating, and feeling hopeless. (“Mental Depression”).…

    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Holden Caulfield's Depression
    • 1349 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Holden Caulfield's Depression

    Depression is a condition that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and dejection. Although depression can be inherited or be caused by unbalanced hormones or brain chemicals, it is caused by multiple stressful events in most cases. Those events can be a traumatic childhood, death of a loved one, suicide in the family, self-esteem problems, health problems, or alcoholism. Usually, depression shows a variety of symptoms physically, emotionally, and mentally. Some of the symptoms are sadness, loneliness, loss of interest, unexplained aches, risky behavior, anger, change in diet or sleeping patterns (oversleeping or insomnia), guilt, self-criticism, and possibly self-harm or suicidal thoughts.…

    • 1349 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Biological Explanation Of Depression
    • 1512 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Biological Explanation Of Depression

    Studies show that a chemical imbalance in specific areas of the brain, these imbalances affects the body and brain causing problems in everyday life. Serotonin carries signals along and between nerves, it is responsible for maintaining mood balance ensuring that is does not increase or decrease too much, a deficit of serotonin leads to depression. (medical news today,…

    • 1512 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Why Do Vaccines Cause Depression
    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Why Do Vaccines Cause Depression

    Explanations for mental illnesses are complex and include various interactions between these causal factors. When attempting to find the route of depression, one must examine all the different factors that may be contributing to depressive symptoms. Biological components may include irregular neurotransmitter system function, including low levels of serotonin reuptake. There are also risk factors involved, or things that would make one more vulnerable to developing a mental disorder. This would include physical disorders, which would make one more susceptible to falling in a depressed mood.…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Psychodynamic And Christian Counseling: The Root Cause Of Depression
    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Psychodynamic And Christian Counseling: The Root Cause Of Depression

    Depression is a mood disorder that causes a ceaseless feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects how someone thinks, feels, and behaves. People frequently confuse depression with sadness. This disorder can lead to emotional problems, as well as physical problems. People who suffer with depression experience continuous sad or anxious moods, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, suicidal thoughts, and fatigue.…

    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Depression Ap Psychology
    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Depression Ap Psychology

    As a depression counselor in Arlington, TX, I have treated many patients whose depression symptoms ranged from mild to severe and debilitating. For those patients, and for those who love them, dealing with the symptoms of depression is an ongoing struggle; and, because the human brain is still one of the great unknowns of biology and psychology, part of the struggle of living with depression is not being able to get the answers they need about their condition. If you are living with some type of depression, here are few answers to some of the questions you may have: 1 - Is Depression Caused By A Chemical Imbalance? The biology of depression is too complex to be attributed to one cause. To be sure, brain chemicals are involved in patients…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Major Depression Research Paper
    • 1509 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Major Depression Research Paper

    Depression is a huge and well known Mental health problem. According to the NIMH 6.9 percent of the world's population struggles with this disease. There are not only different types of depression but also different causes and symptoms to it. There are different treatments for this disease.…

    • 1509 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Antidepressants Research Paper
    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Antidepressants Research Paper

    It often is said that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but the disease is way more complex. Some researchers presume that depression is not solely bought on by a little chemical imbalance, but by factors, such as mood regulations, a stressful life, medication, medical problems and many other things contribute to depression. On the contrary to being depressed there are many pills to be taken to somewhat ease the tension of depression. Antidepressants are often used in the treatment process to somewhat…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Postpartum Depression In Women
    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Postpartum Depression In Women

    Depression is a psychological mood disorder characterized by such symptoms as depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness, sleep disturbances, and even suicidal thoughts. It is believed that depression is caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters like Serotonin, this imbalance can come from many things that include using Stimulant drugs such as methamphetamines, alcohol, physical illness, hormonal disorder or even hormonal changes during pregnancy before childbirth or after. Depression is more common in women but does affect men in the same way. Depression has been known to run in families, proposing that there could be hereditary genetic mutations involved with the reoccurrence of the disorder. When the brains of humans who were depressed…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Antispressants And Tricyclic Antidepressants
    • 939 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Antispressants And Tricyclic Antidepressants

    Commonly described as an imbalance of hormones in the body, depression is a serious affliction. Typically, the chemicals serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are the neurotransmitters…

    • 939 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Epidemiology Of Depression
    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Epidemiology Of Depression

    In spite of depression having well-known genetic risks, research has struggled to pin point the biological and neurobiological aspects to the disorder. However with developments in technology and the increased research being conducted in the resent year on the biological aspects of depression, more theories and findings are emerging that are bringing hope to suffers of clinical depression. Despite the slow trial and error method in the field of depression, there have been notable progressions in the advancements of the molecular biology of depression. Research methods currently available in unpacking the neurobiology of depression boasts an array of experimental techniques in assessing humans and animals that is unprecedented within the domain of depression. Such procedures including genome-wide DNA sequencing, chromatin…

    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Argumentative Essay On Clinical Depression
    • 1088 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Argumentative Essay On Clinical Depression

    Depression not only involves the mind, but also it involves the body and thoughts. We can separate it to different levels. Sometimes I feel English is so poor because we can only use “depression” to describe that kind of complex feeling or a disease. In this modern society, there are still many people who do not understand…

    • 1088 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Mental Disorders: The Cause Of Major Depression
    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mental Disorders: The Cause Of Major Depression

    While depression does not usually have one overall cause there are a few causes that psychologist and psychiatrists. According to the American Psychological Association, these causes are biochemistry or the chemical make up of your brain, genetics, low self esteem, and your environment. Any one of those factors could trigger a depressive episode. The most common from of depression is Major Depression, a form in which feelings of sadness last for two weeks or longer and interferes with daily life (psychiatry.org).” With this form of a depression the depressive period can be a one time event, such as when a relative dies, or reoccur over time (nimh.nih.gov).…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings