synthesis

• Major Depressive Disorder


  Mood disorder; depressed mood most of the time or persists for a long time
• Major Depressive Disorder


  • Feelings of guilt, suicidal tendencies, disturbed bodily functions (weight loss, anorexia, loss of libido, disturbed sleep pattern)
• Depressed people


  Caught in a feedback loop in which distorted thoughts cause negative feelings, which distort thinking further
• Distorted thoughts of a depressed father


  • "I'm a terrible father" (personalization)
  • "Why do I do such terrible things to my children?" (overgeneralization combined with dichotomous always/never thinking)
  • "Now she's going to have brain damage" (magnification)
  • "Everyone will hate me" (jumping into conclusion without evidence)
• Causes of Major Depressive Disorder


  • Endogenous (no apparent external cause)
  • Reactive (an identifiable external cause)
• Affects 3.3 million Filipinos
• Suicide rates in 2.5 males and 1.7 females per 100,000
• BDNF (Brain-derived Neurotropic Factor)


  Nerve growth factor and emotional regulation
• Stress and pain


  Associated with drop in BDNF levels
• BDNF


  • Direct infusion into the brain of rodents has antidepressant effects
  • Antidepressants are associated with an increase in BDNF levels in animal models and clinical trials
• Monoamine Hypothesis


  Deficit in function or amount of biogenic amines (NE, 5HT, E, D and MAO)
• Evidence for Monoamine Hypothesis


  • Reserpine treatment is associated with depression
  • Depressed people who responded to serotonergic antidepressants often rapidly suffer relapse when given diet free of tryptophan
  • Administration of a NE synthesis inhibitor is associated with relapse
  • Studies found evidence of alteration in 5HT receptor numbers and NE receptors in depressed and suicidal patients