Anti-depressants change the structure of the brain: Study
3 Min Read
A new study reveals that massive depressive disorder is treatable nowadays with particular anti-depressants that change how the brain is wired.
-
(Photo: Scott Rothstein/Getty Images)
A recent study led scientists to a startling discovery after it found that some anti-depressants can make drastic changes in the brain and even be able to rewire brains affected by major depressive disorder. The study was presented by researchers at the 35th Annual European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Vienna.
Massive depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental health disorder that involves persistent depressing moods, dark thoughts, and a general loss of interest in activities. People affected by MDD can have major impairments in their daily lives. However, it is treatable nowadays with particular anti-depressants that alter the brain's wiring.
Read next: Gardening shown to improve mental health, study finds
Past research found that anti-depressants, and even behavioral and electroconvulsive therapies, are not effective for all MDD patients. Now, a group of researchers in Germany says that anti-depressants can change brain structures, but they add that they are not sure how long those changes will remain.
Past research also revealed that serious bouts of depression are often linked to a change in the volume of gray matter and white matter found within the brain. Every type of brain matter is linked to different functions of the body, and any changes in them can highly change how brains react. Hence, the ability to change the brain’s structure with anti-depressants is a great feat.
Also, if we can prove the existence of a strong association between the human brain structure and how depressive thoughts function, then it could help improve how to diagnose and treat disorders like MDD. Right now, however, many disagree on whether that link is consistent or strong enough to use in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders like MDD. Researchers in Germany believe it is, though.
In an experiment, those researchers found that out of 109 MDD patients, the greatest changes in their symptoms were based on how much anti-depressants and other treatment options changed their brain structures. The researchers also compared MDD patients' brains to individuals without the disorder.
“We were surprised at the speed of the response,” psychiatrist Jonathan Repple said in a statement, adding that no explanation is available yet on how or why these changes in the brain happen, or even how anti-depressants and other treatments make the changes.
Many factors can come into play when talking about depression. For example, the amount of daylight a person gets during the day can drastically change the mood. Another example is being left-handed, which can also increase the chance of having mental disorders like MDD. Some anti-depressants, like a special nasal spray, can cause those changes in the brain faster.
However, if those changes can be better understood, perhaps new ways to treat disorders like MDD can be discovered.
Read: How to improve your mental health? Take a break from news
