Decades of reinforcing neural connections can make the adult brain stubbornly resistant to rapid changes. Should our brain's structure trap us in cycles of dark moods and thoughts, disorders like chronic depression can be extremely hard to shake.
According to new research, some patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) can have their brains 'rewired' within weeks, given the right treatment.
Anti-depressants, behavioral therapy, and electroconvulsive therapy don't work for everybody with MDD, but scientists in Germany claim these treatments have the power to change brain structures. How long those changes last remains to be determined.
People who experience MDD often have trouble regulating negative emotions and their physiological responses to stress. Under such heavy conditions, enjoying even the most pleasant activities in life can feel burdensome.
In the past, brain imaging studies have found serious depression is associated with changes in the volume of gray matter (made up of neuron bodies) and white matter (made up of nerve fibers). It's also associated with increases in amygdala activity, which influences emotional experiences; shrinkage in the hippocampus, which plays a major role in long-term learning and memory; and shrinkage in the basal ganglia, which helps process emotions. READ MORE...
