People with a diagnosis of dementia can also face depression. For this reason, they may end up taking antidepressant drugs. Now, a study has found that these drugs may be able to treat not just depression, but dementia itself. Read more...
Scientists may have caught a glimpse of what sadness looks like in the brain.
A study of 21 people found that for most, feeling down was associated with greater communication between brain areas involved in emotion and memory, a team from the University of California, San Francisco reported Thursday in the journal Cell.Read more..
"A substance found in chili peppers reduces depressive symptoms in a rodent model of depression, according to research published in Physiology & Behavior. The study examined the effects of capsaicin, which is responsible for the spicy and pungent flavor of chilis. " Read more...
"UC San Francisco researchers, in collaboration with the unique Brazilian Biobank for Aging Studies (BBAS) at the University of São Paulo, have shown that the earliest stages of the brain degeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are linked to neuropsychiatric symptoms including anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances. " Read more...
"A new study used a model of seasonal affective disorder to find out why some people don't develop depression despite being genetically predisposed to it. The findings also shed light on potential new treatments for seasonal depression." Read article...
" A new study has found that people living with major depressive disorder are biologically older than people without depression, and that childhood trauma exacerbates this effect. The results illuminate the epigenetic mechanisms that might explain this discrepancy." Read article...
"The age-defying benefits of the Mediterranean diet are already well documented. A diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruit, grains, olive oil and minimal meat works wonders for your body and its ability to cope with old age." Read more..
"A history of depression is associated with more than double the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among women, new research suggests." Read more...
"Aerobic exercise has been linked with reducing symptoms of depression, but resistance training, such as weight lifting and bodyweight exercises like push-ups, can have the same effect." Read more...
"When we think of a depressed person, we tend to think of someone who, well, acts sad. The picture we have in our head is of someone who doesn’t want to get off the couch or out of bed, who is eating much less or much more than usual, has trouble sleeping or wants to sleep all the time, who has trouble with usual daily activities, and doesn’t talk much." Read more...
"Humans and other mammals react to stressful situations through a series of well-orchestrated evolutionary adaptations. When faced with a predator looking for its next meal, or with worry of losing a job, our bodies release a cascade of stress hormones. Our heart rate spikes, breath quickens, muscles tense up and beads of sweat appear." Read more...
"A new study reveals that eight weeks of mindfulness meditation may help to prevent major depresssive disorder in people with subclinical depression." Read more...
Could mindfulness prevent major depression? Honor Whiteman. Medical News Today. March 14, 2018. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321215.php
"Just this week, I have seen three patients with depression requiring treatment. Treatment options include medications, therapy, and self-care. Self-care includes things like sleep, physical activity, and diet, and is just as important as meds and therapy — sometimes more so." Read more...
"The microbiome plays a key role in determining how different individuals respond to psychological and physical stress, researchers have concluded. " Read more...
"Low blood levels of acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC) may be a biomarker for major depressive disorder (MDD), new research suggests." Read more...
"Depressive symptoms in environmental illnesses are more likely due to activation of TNF-a which presents as "sickness behavior". It would account for the fatigue and the depression. Because sulforaphane enhances expression of Nrf2, depressive symptoms may be relieved by prophylactic ingestion of broccoli. While some think that the depression is caused by activation of the corticosteroid system, I do not agree." If nothing else, it is worth the try!
