Study shows depression can shrink the brain

Published on 13/08/2012 01:43

Severe depression can shrink the brain by blocking the formation of new nerve connections, a study has shown.

The effect disrupts circuits
associated with mental functioning and emotion.

It could explain why people with major depressive disorder (MDD) suffer from concentration and memory loss, as well as blunted emotional responses.

Several genes involved in building synapses, the connection points between brain cells, were suppressed in people with MDD, scientists found.

This was thought to contribute to shrinkage of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which occurs in MDD sufferers.

Researchers in the United States analysed brain tissue from patients who had died after being diagnosed with MDD.

The research is published in the latest issue of the journal 
Nature Medicine..