Depression is more than just a feeling. It can physically change the structure and size of your brain. This can affect how you act, think, and feel. The health providers are not exactly sure why depression causes changes in brain function, but they believe that inflammation, stress, and genetics can play a role.
Therefore, if you are experiencing depression, it’s really important to immediately get help…
Early treatment can help you prevent the issues below.
Areas of Brain Affected by Depression
Some of the major signs of depression are:
- Memory issues
- Anxiety
- Hopelessness
- Guilt
- Sleep issues
- Difficulty thinking clearly
- Appetite issues
- Changes in speech patterns
- Development of negative emotions
But these are not the only things you face… Here are the parts of the brain that get affected due to depression.
Hippocampus
This part of the brain is responsible for many functions, such as memory storage, learning, stress, and emotions. The hippocampus plays a major role in how the brain processes long-term memory and recollection. Depression affects the hippocampus and lead to issues like short-term memory loss. Fortunately, a health provider can help you reverse and heal.
Thalamus
Thalamus gets most of the sensory information. It greatly affects important functions like speech, learning, behavioral reactions, and movement. Since it has sensory input to negative and positive feelings, depression can impact the thalamus. The thalamus is shown to gets smaller when a person is depressed.
Prefrontal Cortex
The prefrontal cortex responsible for planning and high-level thinking. Studies show depressed people have an abnormally small prefrontal cortex.
Insula
The insula responsible for both automatic and basic functions. It can impact our overall emotions, like pain, love, and cravings. Insula sends sensory signals from the outside environment to the body. Hence, it is responsible for linking our emotional responses and sensory experiences. Like the thalamus, the insula is seen to be smaller in patients with depression.
Caudate Nucleus
The caudate nucleus associated with movements and assists in memory, learning, and romantic, emotional, and motivational interactions. Experts indicate that people with severe depression issues have a smaller caudate nucleus.
Amygdala
The amygdala part processes fear and stress. Depression can affect the amydala, but more research is needed to prove the depression effects. However, it has been noticed that people who deal with depression are usually fearful and try to avoid things.
Problems that Lead to Depression
Brain Shrinkage
One of the common effects of depression is the shrinkage of the above brain parts due to the higher development of the stress hormone called cortisol in your body.
Additionally, the parts of your brain affected by depression struggle to function properly. This leads to abnormalities in a person’s emotions, moods, sleep behaviors, and thought patterns.
Brain Inflammation
Science is not sure if inflammation or depression comes first. However, people who struggle with major depressive episodes typically have high levels of translocator proteins. These are the chemicals associated with brain inflammation. In fact, research indicates these chemicals have been higher in patients with depression.
If brain inflammation goes untreated, it can:
- Cause thinking problems
- Kill or hurt brain cells
- Speed up brain aging
- Prevent new brain cell development
Hypoxia
Depression can also lead to reduced oxygen or hypoxia. This means that the brain does not get an adequate amount of oxygen… which can lead to brain injury, death of cells in the brain, and inflammation. As a result, one might struggle with memory, learning, and mood issues.
We Can Help!
Our therapists can help reverse these issues by using tested and proven therapeutic interventions and models.
A study suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressants can reduce brain inflammation. CBT can also help the brain to produce new synaptic connections that help deal with depression. Research on ketamine shows the activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter, in your prefrontal cortex.
Another study on the opioid receptor indicates that ketamine activates the body’s opioid system, which plays a great role in improving the lives of depressive individuals.
Bottom Line
In a nutshell, depression can severely impact your brain function. Depression impacts memory, learning, and regulation of emotions. If your depression is severe enough, it can make your life very problematic. Depression also affects productivity, relationships, and ability to understand and respond to situations. Don’t worry, we can help. An expert can offer you excellent treatment options. Our therapists are highly trained in CBT and healing with depression.
Please call or text us today (720) 515-3551 to schedule a free consultation call or your first session!