I have autism and I think a schizophrenic-like disorder where a negative thought is embedded in my mind regardless even when my mind is clear--just being aware of the thought affects me.

Now most normal people view themselves as a person here in reality and to have a purpose and make the best of reality and if they were to read anything (like what I've read about depression shrinking the brain), that information does not bother them and does not overrule his/her own reality (unlike me).

I feel as though I am detached from my own reality (unlike normal people) and view the scientific world as reality. In other words, this scientific information (world) regarding depression dominates my own personal reality.

Most normal people would not view neurons as their very being. Instead, they view their own personality and what they do in life as their being. But as for me, I view neurons as my being (since they really are). And then from there it becomes an inescapable horror knowing that my very being (neurons) die through depression. Again, this whole scientific world of depression and dying neurons dominates over my own reality, what I do in life, etc. regardless of what I do and think because thoughts such as ("just ignore this thought and move on with your life" or "you as a person are important and have control") are thoughts in the normal reality which, again, the normal reality does not exist for me--I realize that the scientific reality is what's real and overrules the normal moral reality of making the best of life, having a purpose, etc.

This is because, again, the world of science defines everything (even your own personality and what you want to do in life). This information about depression shrinking the brain is a world of science and defines and dominates over my own world regardless of knowing that there are positive scientific worlds (the world of growing new neurons).

Hi Matt
 

You helped me to understand you by telling me of your autism. Have you any idea really that this is a gift in many ways? You are intelligent, more so than you may know. Autistic people, do obsess, often in very very educational ways. The trick is to focus that energy and intelligence in a way that is positive and not negative. You arn't loosing any brain neurons, you are making them all the time. You have something the normal joe doesn't have, and you can use it for your betterment. I know an autistic gentleman, have known him since he was a child. I directed him into the field of paleontology, which to this day, he has obsessed over, but learned all the material I could offer. He may wind up doing that as a career. He is just 19 years old and brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!! All I did was help focus that obession into something he wound up loving. I don't know if I can' help you to focus differently. But I do want you to know that I believe you can. My friend did, and he is turning out to be a really cool individual. Thank you for telling me about yourself. The other mental condition, I would have to educate myself on. I only know from experience that autistic people are very very intelligent!!!!!!! ginnie:hug::grouphug:

[Hi Matt,

Thanks for the explanation. I understand science is being your reality-- but I dont think your not really focused on what science is also saying--your seeing it fragmanted.

Science shows what really matters when we age its not the size of your brain or how many neurons are left, its more how its wired. Its also more importantly shows what a person can do to perserve and rejuvenate the wiring with known depression.

When you learn a new thing it will enhance the number and the wiring of the neuronal networks. This will incease your brain power.

Science show the brain reatains a high degree of placticity--in learning new intresting things this will develop a higher number of nerve cell connections.

Science show brain cells continue to multiply in the hippocampus. By reducing stress hormones (cortisol),exercise brain and body and complying to anti dep meds.

Matt like Ginnie spoke of a friend--- I also have a friend from college who in his 20's in college had the same thought as you --of neurons dying in his brain-- because he was extremly smart-- and in his Senior year his obsession with the thought caused his depression to become extreme --he almost dropped out. He had a hard time trying focus on his senior thesis --because he 100% believed -- the depression was killing the neurons in his brain. It took alot of support from friends and family and a very good pdoc -- to get him thru his Senior yr of college. Talk about irony --guess what --he became neurologist!! -- He is nows married with two kids. Im not sure how old your are--- but it started to effect him in his early 20's-- he is in his 50's now --and a big success. Even when we speak about it now-- he still has clairty of how that thought consumed him completely for 10yrs. Now --because of treatment he see's the reality that it doesn't have to destroy your life or brain. If you do the work turn it around with all the things science suggest to do to keep your brain healthy!!!

Now me talking about this thought does help me.

So here's another question about the hippocampus.

In this link in the 2nd paragraph it states "He later reported that newborn neurons migrated from their birthplace in the hippocampus to other parts of the brain."

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/b...nds_neuron.htm

Do only the newborn ones migrate, or do the ones that already exist in the hippocampus migrate as well? For this question, I do not need complex information--just a simple answer A.) the newborn ones or B.) both the newborn and the already-existing ones.

Matt,
You are way above my intelligence level and I don't know the answer to your question but I wondered if you have ever thought about becoming a researcher scientist? My little brother is one and is working on the cure for aids at our University of Utah here in Salt Lake City. My other brother has his own company and is a chemical engineer. My brothers love to talk about this kind of thing. What if you channelled all these questions into finding answers? You know researchers learn new things every day. None of the research you are talking about is 100 percent the way it is and will always be because they find out new information all the time. You are brilliant. I would appreciate it if you would get to work on the problem for people who have injured brains. What if you found the cure? Have you ever tried to talk to the research dept. at your local University? You are brilliant and like Ginnie says you have a gift.
Brain

Hi Matt, Im getting home late-- but Im almost confident its B --both but I will verify it tommorrow.

I thought it might of been B because aren't our neurons (both new and existing) constantly migrating to different brain parts all the time? Again, I just need a simple answer like "yes, the answer is B and yes, our new and existing neurons are constantly migrating to different brain parts all the time." I don't need any additional information beyond a simple answer (the example I just gave).

B--and yes (smile)

Now I have 4 more questions.

1.) Does the loss of pleasure activity due to depression equal out to the amount of activity gained in the amygdala?

2.) If it's not just the amygdala that gains activity during depression, but other brain regions that are responsible for negative emotions as well as controlling those emotions, does this overall activity of the amygdala plus these other brain regions equal out to the amount of pleasure activity that is lost during depression?

3.) If so, what are these other brain regions that gain activity during depression?

4.) Does the loss of pleasure activity due to depression equal out to the amount of activity the brain is using in an attempt to gain back pleasure?

So basically what I'm asking is if what is lost during depression (pleasure) is equally made up for both in terms of an active amygdala and other brain regions responsible for negative emotion/control as well as the brain trying to gain back pleasure. And that if a combination of those two things is equally (or even is greater) than the loss of pleasure activity during depression.

The reason I ask this is because if my brain does not equally (or even greater) make up emotionally for the lack of pleasure during depression, then I feel that my mind has died emotionally from depression rather than making up for that loss in the form of negative emotion/controlling negative emotion and, of course, attempting to gain back pleasure. Even if it's negative emotions (the active amygdala) that equally makes up for the lack of pleasure, that makes me feel emotionally "alive" rather than emotionally dying off through depression.

Matt --the condition depression in science is so very complex . There is no one explanation for the cause of depression. Thats why there is no single effective treatment for all.The frontal and temporal lobes of the forebrain are responsible for the thought assoc with depression --from there it get complex with limbic system ---as we spoke of before. I said it before its more about the wiring of the brain and how signals are sent --this is where it gets complicated. People known damage to amygdala have been studied to show autuism,phobias,anxiety and depression. It more from a neuro transmitter imbalance. Thats why not one drug works for all or one therapy--sometimes its combo of meds and cognotive therapy ..etc.