Will A Shrinking Brain Cause Me More Depression?
 

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

Thank you for helping me with these questions. I'm just having things on my mind in asking them.

Now about this information that contradicts these studies, is there info that even contradicts depression causing brain loss?

Also, the brain shrinking through aging is a fact. But is it a fact that the brain shrinks through depression, or is that not proven either?

While this is an important issue for short-term health, it may also be important for the longer term, because there is some evidence that depression shrinks the brain — no, it is not the psychiatrists who are the "head shrinkers!" — and that antidepressants might put the brakes on this process.

While much remains to be sorted out, one of the key players in this story might be "neurogenesis," or growth of new brain cells.

Just two weeks ago researchers reported in the journal Science that they had devised a method, based on an imaging technique called magnetic resonance spectroscopy, that could detect new cell growth in the brains of living people. This raises the possibility of being able to monitor effects of antidepressant treatment on neurogenesis in patients.



Hitting on the Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a seahorse-shaped region of the brain found on both the left and right sides, buried a few inches in from the ears. It has a critical role in memory and is part of the connected circuit of brain regions called the limbic system that generate and regulate our emotional lives.

The results of more than 20 studies now strongly suggest that the hippocampus is smaller in patients with major depression than in people without illness. The average difference is about 10 percent.

So the hippocampus is smaller in depression. But does a small hippocampus cause depression or does depression shrink your hippocampus? Some evidence suggests shrinkage occurs.

Scientists began pursuing this line of research after Robert Sapolsky, a Stanford neuroscientist, suggested that chronic stress might unleash a cascade of stress hormones, which over time might kill hippocampal cells. There have since been several studies that have shown that hippocampal size in depression correlates with the length of time a person has been depressed.

Another study has shown that hippocampal size correlates with the amount of time a patient has had untreated depression. Consistent with this, the good news is that evidence suggests depression treatments can block the pernicious effects of chronic stress on neurogenesis, reactivating growth of new brain cells.

Two studies have in fact reported that antidepressants can increase hippocampal size.

Matt --so to me this part is the key below --in my oppinion to your questions.


Growing Your Brain

The size of the hippocampus varies from one person to another regardless of depression, much like height and foot size vary. Several studies indicate that genetics determines about half of the size variation in the hippocampus.

so yes depression is assoc with a smaller hippocampus--but delayed treatment shows might be assoc with further shrinage--and the study shows antidepressants have been shown to stop fuether shrinage.

I know that antidepressants help grow new brain cells, it's just that I have questions.

So will just the hippocampus shrink during depression, or the prefrontal cortex, or both?

From what i understand and reall think the hippocampus does but the only evidence suggest less activity in imaging done of the prefrontal cortex not really shrinage would be the term I would use-- less of activity shown in images scanned --which i believe trying to make this little more simple my oppinion --it comes for from a BDNF gene that has been assoc with a smaller hippcamous --that gene belongs to a family of genes that infulence brain growth ---stimulating it will help from getting worse (not only meds other therapy like tms) and stop damage ---this is what im trying to explain there is no simplified answer --u have to understand more of the the genes the stress hormones and all diseases and aging with the brain. Im sorry there is no clear answer Matt im trying the best way I know how to explain. Some is more proven in parts and like i said its not written in stone. But studies showed damage can be prevented to me which would be my main objective.