"no, I can't answer or even guess at that question in parenthesis as well as those 3 questions" I previosly already answered they way I felt applied which u asked me to guess or give my oppinion on -- but u need to understand you lumped in the ? about what area may be greater or less --and i cant answer this because there is noway to measure brain activity. I know for you Matt your trying to go my neurons-- not by how you feel--- but you have to understand some of these studies are done by bloodwork and how a persons moods are changed there emotional well being ---not on images or scans.

Now regarding back to my 1st question, it says here in this link that ”In some cases, this reduction continues when the depression itself is over.”:

http://sciencenordic.com/depression-can-damage-brain

So does that answer my 1st question, or is it still not known?

I read that article a few times myself he states in 10% --but not sure why ---if u notice in the article he closes about benefits of exercise.??

Last 15 or 20 yrs science knows the link of serotonin & dopamine and cortisol.

That if cortisol runs high that the serotonin and dopamine levels decrease and exercise has been studied numerous times show the benefit of decreases cortisol and raises serotonin and dopamine levels. Most chronic depression patients are treated with MAOI'S with Prozac for this reason becauses it shown to work increasing serotonin and dopamine --science suggest sometimes something goes wrong like in this article where 10% still show shrinkage ---could it be from cortisol ---its a pretty strong theroy.

Also, when you said “but I will tell you strictly my thoughts--not science--just based on my reading . If your asking me if a chronic depression person like yourself is on anti-dep meds and starts to feel better with depression symptoms. But that person cortisol levels are still high will there still be a greater loss of pleasure activity due to the stress hormones being high --my educated guess is YES.”

Now was that educated guess just based on a different subject, or was it regarding my questions of whether there are moments where the loss of pleasure activity can be greater than the combined activity gained by those failing and mildly failing brain regions during depression? Again, just a simple “yes, that educated guess was in regards to the loss of pleasure activity vs the amount of combined activity gained,” or “no, this educated guess was in regards to a different subject.”

If you read my answer again it was partial answer to your ? hence the reason I went into explanation about it ---greater loss of pleasure was my educated guess ----but---- this part of your ? to me --"loss of pleasure activity can be greater than the combined activity gained by those failing and mildly failing brain regions during depression?"---that part i cant answer.

Now for someone who has chronic depression, if there are moments when he/she feels fine, doesn't that mean that the glucocorticoids have been stopped? Or can it be possible for them to still be going on, still circulating through the brain even during those moments this person feels fine even if this person doesn't have cushing disease?

Im sure there are ---you dont have to have cushings to have high cortisol levels (that was just example)---that comes from prolonged stress not being treated . Stress and depression sometimes is a visious circle. Many changes have been seen in the brain with with a severe episode of depression and the same affects on the brain have been seen with prolonged stress. Its not the little bit of stress that hurts our brains --its prolonged stress. Thats why aside from anti dep meds, they stress the importance of exercise,sleep,diet,behavioral therapy all these things are known to reduce stress.

I know that this is the same question as before and I keep asking it (it's the same question with a bit of difference every time), but I am obsessed over it and just need to make sure of your answer.

If for someone who has chronic major depression and the regulation of the glucocorticoids has completely failed, resulting in a vast number of pleasure neurons being overworked and overworked to death, can there be moments (brief, like a second or less or more or even for longer periods) where the rate of loss of pleasure activity only due to the glucocorticoids overworking and overworking a vast number of those pleasure neurons to death is greater than the rate of activity gained by the hypothalamus (rate of activity gained only in regards to the hypothalamus reducing (regulating) the glucocorticoids [which in this case has failed] combined with the rate of activity gained of the hypothalamus controlling depressive thoughts), or also can the rate of loss of pleasure activity only due to the glucocorticoids overworking and overworking a vast number of those pleasure neurons to death be greater than just one of those rates of activities mentioned gained in the hypothalamus during chronic major depression (again, either the one rate of activity gained in the hypothalamus that regulates the glucocorticoids or the other rate of activity gained in the hypothalamus which controls depressive thoughts)?

This question also applies to if the hypothalamus is failing during chronic major depression (where both of those gained rates of activities I just explained is lost, resulting in little gained activity), can the rate of loss of pleasure activity only due to the glucocorticoids overworking and overworking a vast number of those pleasure neurons to death be greater than either one of those gained rates of activities in the failing hypothalamus, or can it be greater than both of them combined? This question is also in regards to if the hypothalamus is mildly failing (where not as much of those both activities is lost) and also if the hypothalamus is not failing. This question is also in regards to if this person has intense episodes of major depression and also if he/she goes from mildly depressed to intense episodes of major depression, and is also in regards to when this person only experiences mild depression, and also in regards to when this person is experiencing prolonged periods of these forms of depression (both major and mild), and finally in regards to moments when this person experiences hardly any depression at all.

Again, just a simple answer "yes, I can take a guess at this," or "no, I can't even begin to guess at this." I know that you might say "no, I can't even begin to guess at this," it's just that I have an obsession with trying to absolutely make sure in regards to your answer to this question. Again, just choose one of those answers in quotes--you don't have to explain anything, but you can if you want.

[Again, just a simple answer "yes, I can take a guess at this," or "no, I can't even begin to guess at this." I know that you might say "no, I can't even begin to guess at this," it's just that I have an obsession with trying to absolutely make sure in regards to your answer to this question. Again, just choose one of those answers in quotes--you don't have to explain anything, but you can if you want.[/QUOTE]

Matt --I know this obsession-- esp this thought for you --for that reason -- I dug very deep to see if I could find any new studies and I could not. Im trying to help you calm this thought and give you a honest answer but I already informed you with all I know on this matter. Im sorry your correct-- I have to default to "no, I can't even begin to guess at this,"

I really have been trying to help ---but some thing have not been answered in science yet. I care and dont want to see this thought consume you but I also realize you can't control it ---something are just not known yet.

NOTE: I have edited my post with more information, so go back and re-read that post and answer with "yes, I can take a guess at this," or "no, I can't even begin to guess at this."