 |
|
Brain Structure Implicated In Early Onset Depression
January 26, 2004Teenagers suffering from depression may have abnormal brain structure, according to new research. An article published in BMC Medicine this week shows that adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder tend to have a small hippocampus - a part of the brain associated with motivation, emotion, and memory formation.
Researchers from Dalhousie University and the National Research Council of Canada studied 34 adolescents between the ages of 13 to 18 years old, half of whom were suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) they scanned each volunteer's brain and measured the volume of their left and right hippocampuses.
The hippocampus of patients with MDD was, on average, 17% smaller than that of controls. The size difference was particularly evident in the left hippocampus, where the average volume was 2.53cm3 in patients with depression and 3.05 cm3 in those without.
The authors, Frank MacMaster and Vivek Kusumakar, write: "To our knowledge this is the first published report regarding hippocampal volume in youths with early onset depression compared to healthy controls."
MDD is a severe, common and debilitating illness that is as common in adolescence as it is in adulthood. By studying younger patients the researchers hoped that they would be able to see differences in brain structure that may cause the disorder, rather than those differences that are a side effect of long-term illness or treatment.
The reduced size of the brain structure was not a side effect of the treatment, as patients who were not yet being treated for MDD also had small left hippocampuses compared to controls. The study also showed that people that had suffered from MDD for longer had larger hippocampuses than the more recently diagnosed patients. This suggests that in studies of adult patients, who are long-term sufferers of MDD, the initial difference in hippocampus size may not show up.
"These conclusions should be considered preliminary, considering the small sample sizes used," write the authors. They plan to carry out experiments that use larger sample sizes to confirm these initial findings. They also plan to look more closely at how the size of the hippocampus varies with the progression of major depressive disorder.
BioMed Central Limited
Depression Current Events and Depression News RSSDepression rife among medical students
Medical students frequently suffer from depression, especially during their internship years. New research published in the open access journal BMC Medical Education reveals the extent of the problem and features a detailed analysis of the symptoms and sufferers.
Happiness is infectious
Happiness really does rub off—a person's happiness depends on the happiness of others with whom they are connected, finds research published on bmj.com today.
Nearly 5 percent of the US population suffers from persistent depression or anxiety
Though effective treatments are available for individuals suffering from chronic depression and anxiety, very little is known about how often these treatments are used or how prevalent these conditions are among the nation's general population.
Too much commitment may be unhealthy for relationships, UH psychology professor says
Romantic relationships establish special bonds between partners. Oftentimes, passionate rapport leads to permanent partnerships, and ultimately, the start of families.
Stress-related disorders affect brain's processing of memory
Researchers using functional MRI (fMRI) have determined that the circuitry in the area of the brain responsible for suppressing memory is dysfunctional in patients suffering from stress-related psychiatric disorders. Results of the study will be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Gay men's risky sexual behavior linked to feeling undesirable
Gay men who are not considered sexually desirable are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior according to new research out of the University of Toronto. They may also develop psychological problems as a consequence of feeling undesirable.
Lower childhood IQ associated with higher risk of adult mental disorders
Researchers have hypothesized that people with lower IQs may have a higher risk of adult mental disorders, but few studies have looked at the relationship between low childhood IQ and psychiatric disorders later in life.
Exercise helps overweight children reduce anger expression
Regular exercise seems to reduce anger expression in overweight but otherwise healthy children, researchers said.
Bipolar disorder genes, pathways identified by Indiana University neuroscientists
Neuroscientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine have created the first comprehensive map of genes likely to be involved in bipolar disorder.
Scripps research team defines new painkilling chemical pathway
Marijuana kills pain by activating a set of proteins known as cannabinoid receptors, which can also regulate appetite, inflammation, and memory.
More Depression Current Events and Depression News Articles
 | The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes In The Forgotten Man, Amity Shlaes, one of the nation's most-respected economic commentators, offers a striking reinterpretation of the Great Depression. She traces the mounting agony of the New Dealers and the moving stories of individual citizens who through their brave perseverance helped establish the steadfast character we recognize as American today.... |
 | The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by J. Mark G. Williams, John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn The Mindful Way through Depression draws on the collective wisdom of four internationally renowned cognitive therapy and mindfulness experts, including bestselling author Jon Kabat-Zinn, to help you break the mental habits that can lead to despair. This authoritative, easy-to-use self-help program is based on methods clinically proven to reduce the recurrence of chronic unhappiness. Informative... |
 | The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 by Paul Krugman In 1999, in The Return of Depression Economics, Paul Krugman surveyed the economic crises that had swept across Asia and Latin America, and pointed out that those crises were a warning for all of us: like diseases that have become resistant to antibiotics, the economic maladies that caused the Great Depression were making a comeback. In the years that followed, as Wall Street boomed and financial... |
 | The Great Crash of 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith Of Galbraith's classic examination of the 1929 financial collapse, the Atlantic Monthly said:"Economic writings are seldom notable for their entertainment value, but this book is. Galbraith's prose has grace and wit, and he distills a good deal of sardonic fun from the whopping errors of the nation's oracles and the wondrous antics of the financial community." Now, with the stock market riding... |
 | Essays on the Great Depression by Ben S. Bernanke Few periods in history compare to the Great Depression. Stock market crashes, bread lines, bank runs, and wild currency speculation were worldwide phenomena--all occurring with war looming in the background. This period has provided economists with a marvelous laboratory for studying the links between economic policies and institutions and economic performance. Here, Ben Bernanke has gathered... |
 | Rethinking the Great Depression (American Ways Series) by Gene Smiley Drawing upon recent economic scholarship to present a clear and nontechnical analysis, Mr. Smiley offers new insights and some surprising conclusions about the causes of the Great Depression, the consequences of the New Deal, and the economic effects of World War II. An accessible survey...challenges the popular belief that the Great Depression demonstrates the instability of markets and the need... |
 | The Great Depression Ahead: How to Prosper in the Crash Following the Greatest Boom in History by Harry S. Dent The first and last economic depression that you will experience in your lifetime is just ahead. The year 2009 will be the beginning of the next long-term winter season and the initial end of prosperity in almost every market, ushering in a downturn like most of us have not experienced before. Are you aware that we have seen long-term peaks in our stock market and economy very close to every 40... |
 | The Great Depression: America 1929-1941 by Robert S. Mcelvaine A perennial backlist... |
 | The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Very Short Introduction: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) by Eric Rauchway The New Deal shaped our nation's politics for decades, and was seen by many as tantamount to the "American Way" itself. Now, in this superb compact history, Eric Rauchway offers an informed account of the New Deal and the Great Depression, illuminating its successes and failures. Rauchway first describes how the roots of the Great Depression lay in America's post-war economic policies--described... |
 | Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression by James S. Gordon M.D. A groundbreaking, inspiring, and practical guide to healing depression without the use of antidepressants, from world-renowned, Harvard trained psychiatrist Dr. James S. Gordon Each year, as many as twenty million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression. Tens of millions more have low energy or feel unhappy and dissatisfied with their lives. And each year, American doctors write 189... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |