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Does depression cause brain damage?

Depression may cause the release of glucocorticoid in the brain, a type of steroid that can damage the hippocampus and other areas of the central nervous system. When this occurs, you may experience symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorder (dementia), such as memory loss.

psychcentral.com - Can Untreated Depression Cause Brain Damage? - Psych Central

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Untreated depression can cause physical changes to the brain, but with proper treatment, you can reverse these effects. Depression doesn’t just affect your feelings and emotions. This condition can also have physical impacts, as well as the potential to change the structure and functions of the brain. Brain structure refers to the physical parts of the brain, such as the frontal lobe or hippocampus. Function refers to how the brain communicates using electrical signals. When depression is treated, you can reverse the damage. With successful treatment, brain scans will likely show you an average, healthy brain. Does untreated depression cause brain damage? Major depressive disorder (MDD) can cause changes to how the brain communicates with your nervous system, as well as physical parts of the brain. However, describing these changes as “brain damage” may be extreme and inaccurate. The idea of depression changing the brain is a relatively new concept and not fully settled by researchers and scientists yet. A 2018 review of studies related to MRI scans noted that most results were inconsistent and controversial. But while results were inconsistent, this same review also suggested that there could be overlap in the areas of the brain that depression may change. This overlap might indicate that altered interactions between various regions of your brain may contribute to or cause MDD. However, the review didn’t address whether changes in the brain occurred due to depression, or if depression occurred due to changes in the brain. Other researchers believe that chronic stress and anxiety, which can be common with depression, may damage connections between neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the communication circuits within the brain, and that damage may hinder the brain from communicating efficiently. Currently, more research is needed on this topic overall. Changes in the brain’s structure and function are not the only physical effects of untreated depression. Unaddressed MDD can also cause physical symptoms, such as: chronic pain

fatigue

cramps

constipation

Effects of depression on the brain over time Though experts still do not fully understand everything about how depression may physically affect the brain, they do know that it can change certain structures in the brain and alter how they work together. Hippocampus The hippocampus is a complex structure in the brain that plays a role in memory and learning. People who study Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative brain diseases take an interest in this area of the brain because it’s often the first area of the brain to start degenerating. Depression may cause the release of glucocorticoid in the brain, a type of steroid that can damage the hippocampus and other areas of the central nervous system. When this occurs, you may experience symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorder (dementia), such as memory loss. Frontal lobe According to a 2018 review , many experts believe that MDD primarily affects the frontal lobe. Depression may cause a combination of: lesions

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shrinking gray matter

poor communication to the rest of the brain These changes may affect: mood regulation

loss of motivation

cognitive abilities

emotional bias

apathy

Parietal lobe The parietal lobe plays a role in several areas of your thinking and emotions, including: prediction of rewards

organization

decision making

emotional responses to stimuli Blood flows into the parietal lobe when you process complex information, and it flows away once you learn and absorb that information. A 2018 review suggests that the parietal lobe may grow in size when you have depression, which could worsen symptoms of MDD.

Thalamus The thalamus controls several types of sensory information, including: emotional control

arousal

memory According to a 2018 review , the thalamus may change shape and decrease in size with MDD present, which can impact your ability to regulate emotions.

Striatum The striatum plays a role in your ability to: think

find motivation

control your mood In addition, a 2018 review explains that the striatum may also play a role in your ability to control feelings of hatred toward yourself or others. When you have MDD, the striatum shrinks. According to this review, a decreased striatum may contribute to suicidal thoughts and actions. Chemical changes Chemical changes, as well as changes to your neurotransmitters, are both associated with MDD. Two of the more important neurotransmitters include serotonin and norepinephrine, which act as messengers between different areas of the brain. Over time, stress and anxiety associated with MDD can cause changes to neurotransmission, including: neurotransmitter release

metabolic breakdown

reuptake

receptor-mediated signaling in the postsynaptic neuron These changes may make it harder for your brain to effectively transmit signals. Changes in circuitry In addition to physical changes in brain structure and chemical levels, depression may affect your brain’s circuitry. The various parts of your brain communicate using different connections, which are often called “circuits.” When these are disrupted, it can cause certain depression symptoms, such as impaired thinking and emotional responses, to worsen or develop. Is brain damage from mental health conditions permanent? The majority of changes and damage to the brain caused by untreated depression are not believed to be permanent, but more research is still needed. When depression is effectively treated, most people commonly experience an improvement in symptoms, and their brains return to typical function and structure. If you or a loved one think you have depression, consider seeking treatment with a doctor or mental health professional at the first signs and symptoms. Early intervention can stop depression symptoms from worsening and may help prevent changes to your brain. How to heal your brain from depression Though depression may cause temporary changes to the structure and functions of your brain, you can potentially heal this damage. Seeking depression treatment Reaching out to a mental health professional or physician is an excellent first step in addressing depression. Depression is a common mental health condition with treatment options for managing symptoms. Therapy and medication are often first-line treatments for depression and can help you start feeling better. Treatment plans for depression often involve a combination of: therapy

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medication

self-care and lifestyle changes Finding a treatment plan that works for you can take time and effort. You may need to try multiple strategies before finding the best option for you. Self-care for depression Self-care steps at home can also help improve depression symptoms, including: exercising regularly

sleeping consistently between 8 and 10 hours each night

eating nutritious foods, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats

addressing other health issues

practicing mindfulness or meditation

doing things you enjoy

spending time in nature It’s important to keep in mind that while these tips may help, they are not meant as a substitute for formal treatment. You can use them in conjunction with treatment or as a way to see if you can lift your mood before getting formally diagnosed. But if you don’t see any symptom improvement, you may want to consider reaching out for help.

psychcentral.com - Can Untreated Depression Cause Brain Damage? - Psych Central

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