Depression

1
Depression
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Depression

• Symptoms
• Cognitve
• Emotional
• Vegetative
• Major depressives
• Often have elevated glucocorticoids
• Somewhat paradoxical

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Neurochemistry of depression

• NE
• Serotonin (5-HT)
• Dopamaine
• Too much vs too little

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Neurochemistry of depression

• Serotonin
• Rumination
• Helpless/hopeless
• doom

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Neurochemistry of depression

• NE
• Locus ceruleus
• Alerts other brain regions
• Psychomotor retardation

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Neurochemistry of depression

• Dopamine
• Pleasure
• Other neurotransmitters play a role
• ?

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Depression and Glucocorticoids

• Feedback resistance
• Elevated levels of glucocorticoids can
• Deplete dopamine and NE levels
• Interferes with serotonin activity
• Atrophy in the hippocampus

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Depression and Glucocorticoids

• anti-glucocorticoid activity???
• DHEA
• 5-HTT