I experience chronic depression everyday and it says from a countless number of sources that depression shrinks the brain.

They say that this shrinkage can cause even more psychiatric problems. This information disturbs me and I wish to know that if in the future my depression gets worse, is it due to the fact that my brain has shrunk (for example, the shrinking of the prefrontal cortex)?

And will this shrinkage cause me even more depression? Has it been proven that brain shrinkage will cause you more depression if you already have chronic depression?

[Hi Matt !!

I been reading on the shrinking brain for years in humans it corelates to many conditions yes depression is one but read this below stress in major factor and there are supplements you can take to help.

Stress and depression can shrink your brain by blocking the formation of new nerve connections, finds a new study in Nature Medicine.

Researchers analyzed the brain tissue from dead people and found that five genes--each one playing a role in communication within the brain--were scarce in the tissue of people who suffered from major depressive disorders.

Instead, the depressed people's brains appeared to have an excess of GATA1, a "genetic switch" that when "off" basically stops the genes from communicating. In turn, that lack of communication leads to a loss of brain mass in the prefrontal cortex, says Ronald Duman, Ph.D., senior study author and professor at Yale University.

And the biggest cause of that GATA1 overload? You guessed it: stress.

When your body encounters a stressful situation, it releases stress hormones. These hormones then trigger the excess GATA1, leading to a loss of connection in the brain, Duman explains.

To test their findings, the researchers exposed a group of mice to chronic stress and found that GATA1 increased significantly in the stressed-out rodents.

Duman hopes his team's research paves a promising pathway for new depression treatments. In the meantime, the best thing you can do to prevent your brain from shrinking is manage stress well, he says.

One quick fix: Stock up on omega-3s, since they help reduce stress. In 2011, Ohio State researchers wrangled 68 medical students for a 12-week study. Half took a 2,500 milligram daily dose of an omega-3 supplement--equivalent to the amount in 4 ounces of cooked wild salmon. The other half took a placebo. Omega-3 cut reported stress levels by roughly 20 percent compared to the placebo group.

But is there proof that I as a person will become more depressed due to the shrinking of my feel-good parts of the brain?

Or is depression much more complex in that even if you do have shrinkage of those areas, that it won't lead to more depression?

I think it more complex depression period. Its possible but not totally proven.There are so many things I really think there touching on not only depression but with other things and I do believe with treament it has to done on multi disciplianry approach. Just like most disease its not that simple. Truth be known like most illness ---example like cancer-- many theroies --no real known cause,wether partially genetic or enviromental or behavioral ---nobody knows for sure and there is no one size fits all cure either. I think of depression much the same ---its definitley not hopeless disease-- its finding the right meds that work to help control it and working with good pdoc ---but no matter what like any illness --the minute we accept it --then we start the journey to recovery....no matter how long we have symptoms. There wouldnt have forums like this if there were easy asnwers to diseases--were all searching to get better and improve .Its about us trying to be are own advocate by educating ourselves and getting support and it comes from seeking knowledge. I think your on the right path by just coming to this site. If you decide to stay Matt I think you will find many in your shoes and alot of support coming your way....they have many in the medical field on this sight and many patients ...and some just will be here just for emotional support.

So, for example, one part of my brain could shrink through my chronic depression (the prefrontal cortex), but that shrinkage won't cause me to be even more depressed (due to the fact that depression is so complicated and that there is no one specific cause for a person to be even more depressed than he/she already is)?

Matt its a theroy that has not been proven---there alot info that contridicates studies done by ucla and yale and few other i cant think of at this time. Remember the brain shrinks in the same areas as we age there studing have been for MS patients parkinson,alot of neuro diseases.Thats why I gave u the cancer reference alot of theroies nothing written in stone

Now how do you know that it's possible that a person can experience more depression in his/her life through the shrinking of his/her brain if it hasn't even been proven?

Do we even know that it's possible that someone can experience more depression through this shrinkage?

Hi Matt,

To answer your first question --again there is evidence shows shrinkage --but once proper medication and treatments are done the damge stops some cases possiby reversed .

To your 2nd question yes as well --but only if left untreated why because the affect on genes and the hormones levels like cortisol.

In depression, the body’s stress-response systems are going nonstop. Hormones (like cortisol) stream through the body The effects of this long-term stress response are devastating for the brain and the body. The body responds by increasing adrenaline, by elevations in blood pressure, by increased blood levels of sugars and fats.

The brain responds by having its alarm systems in an always-on. The amygdala, the brain’s panic system, actually grows in size! The hippocampus, the brain’s center of working memory, and the prefrontal cortex, the area of planning and memory do shrink. Chronic depression is very toxic for your brain.

DD is also toxic for your body. People who are chronically depressed are at greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other medical problems. Nobody knows exactly why this atrophy occurs. Neurons may die or shrink, or ones that should have been born to replenish the region may not be. Whichever, it does seem linked to a stress hormone called cortisol, because about half of seriously depressed patients secrete too much cortisol.

After meication and reduction in cortisol levels saw their brain chemical return to normal, cell growth and restart and the hippocampus return to its pre-depression size.

This in hippocampal volume loss in depressed humans could possibly be prevented by anti- depressants.