Understanding Depression's Impact on Brain and Health

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Depression according to the World Health Organisation is one of the most debilitating conditions worldwide. It affects mental well-being and has devastating effect on physical health due to its neuroendocrine origin.

An article published in Brain Medicine() summarizes how depression affects brain structure, hormones and immune system. These effects increase the risk for conditions like coronary artery disease, diabetes and osteoporosis reducing the life expectancy by 7 to 10 years.

‘Depression is not just a #mental_health issue; its #neuroendocrine origins affect both brain structure & physical health. #depression #medindia’

Effect of Depression on Brain Structure and Neuroendocrine System

Depression affects various human systems and causes both psychological and physical symptoms.

Hormone pathway disruption like corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and norepinephrine play an important role in depression progression. The neuroendocrine imbalance leads to chronic inflammation and increased stress responses.

Structural changes in critical brain regions like 40 % reduction in volume of brain that regulates stress are evident in depressed people. This structural change affects neuroplasticity, neural connectivity and cognitive functions.

Changes in regions of hippocampus and amygdala contribute to increased anxiety, memory impairment and emotional dysregulation.

Neuroendocrine distinctions between subtypes of depression have been found. Melancholic depression is associated with overactive stress response system and atypical depression shows lower CRH and cortisol levels. This explains that each subtype requires a different treatment approach.

Depression increases inflammation, in brain and other organ systems which causes elevated cytokine levels and active microglia. This causes other health related conditions.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays an important role in stress responses and exacerbates inflammation that intensifies depressive symptoms.

Personalized Therapeutic Approach for Depression

Transformative therapies that address hormonal and immune dysregulation can improve both psychological and physical health outcomes. This can be done by targeting treatments on pathways involving CRH, norepinephrine, cortisol and inflammation. Innovative therapeutic includes:

• CRH antagonists designed to reduce stress responses - effective for melancholic depression
• Hormone receptor modulators like estrogenic treatment - improve cognitive function and stabilize mood.
• Anti-inflammatory agents address the inflammatory processes linked to depression's dual effect on the mind and body.

By identifying specific hormonal and inflammatory profiles in patients, clinicians may be able to predict responses to particular antidepressants, allowing for early and personalized treatment that could prevent both psychological symptoms and associated physical health issues.

Reference:

1. Is depression a neuroendocrine disease? - (https:bm.genomicpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BM0106-Gold-2024.pdf)

Source: Medindia