THUNAIMRI and PET scans and new molecular biology techniques have shed light on what really contributes to depression.
There are many possible causes of depression besides chemical imbalances, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. Several of these factors interact to bring on depression.
Here is an overview of the current understanding of the major factors believed to play a role in the causes of depression.
Popular belief has it that emotions reside in the heart. Science, though, tracks the seat of your emotions to the brain. Certain areas of the brain help regulate mood. Researchers believe that — more important than levels of specific brain chemicals — nerve cell connections, nerve cell growth, and the functioning of nerve circuits have a major impact on depression. These factors are responsible for your mood, perceptions, and how you experience life.
Use of imaging technology like CT and MRI scans has led to a better understanding of which brain regions regulate mood and how other functions, such as memory, may be affected by depression. Areas that play a significant role in depression are the amygdala, the thalamus, and the hippocampus.
Research shows that the hippocampus is smaller in depressed people. The more bouts of depression a person had, the smaller the hippocampus. Stress, which plays a role in depression, may be a key factor here, since experts believe stress can suppress the production of new neurons (nerve cells) in the hippocampus.
Popular antidepressants may work by promoting neuron growth in the hippocampus rather than just increasing serotonin or other chemicals.
Various body therapies work in the same way - through neuroplasticity and calming the nervous system. This allows the pre-frontal cortex to assess the reality more accurately, freeing the mind from unnecessary worry and fear.