Not Just a State of Mind: Scientists Locate the Physical Source of Depression in the Brain

Depression is a mental illness that some wrongly dismiss as a matter of mindset. Researchers from UK’s University of Warwick and Fudan University in China have just proven that depression is much more than that – and they’ve found where it originates in the brain.
“More than one in ten people in their life time suffer from depression, a disease which is so common in modern society and we can even find the remains of Prozac (a common drug used to treat depression) in the tap water in London,” explains Jianfeng Feng, a member of the research team and professor at both Warwick and Fudan.

The research, published in the neurology journal Brain, found that depression occurs from connection pattern changes in an area of the brain called the orbifrontal cortex (OFC).
The researchers used an MRI scan on 900 people, of which 421 were patients with major depressive disorder. It was found that feelings of loss and low self-esteem are directly linked to two sides of the OFC – the medial OFC and the lateral OFC.

Understanding depression

The medial OFC, which lightens up when we receive rewards, showed reduced functional connectivity in depression. This explains why depressed people have low self-esteem and a sense of loss. This also leads to a weaker memory system in the hippocampus (brain’s memory center).

The lateral OFC exhibited stronger functional connectivity in persons with depression. This sector of the OFC is involved in non-reward and punishing events.
The results also displayed stronger connections with the precuneus (related with the sense of self) and the angular gyrus (responsible for memory retrieval and attention), making it difficult for depressed persons to feel good about themselves due to easily recall negative experiences.

Studies like this could allows to dramatically improve the lives of millions around the world, and find better treatment than the current hit and miss approach.

Not Just a State of Mind: Scientists Locate the Physical Source of Depression in the Brain

  Depression is a mental illness that some wrongly dismiss as a matter of mindset. Researchers from UK’s University of Warwick and Fudan University in China have just proven that depression is much more than that – and they’ve found where it originates in the brain.

“More than one in ten people in their life time suffer from depression, a disease which is so common in modern society and we can even find the remains of Prozac (a common drug used to treat depression) in the tap water in London,” explains Jianfeng Feng, a member of the research team and professor at both Warwick and Fudan. 

 

The research, published in the neurology journal Brain, found that depression occurs from connection pattern changes in an area of the brain called the orbifrontal cortex (OFC). 

The researchers used an MRI scan on 900 people, of which 421 were patients with major depressive disorder. It was found that feelings of loss and low self-esteem are directly linked to two sides of the OFC – the medial OFC and the lateral OFC.

Understanding depression

The medial OFC, which lightens up when we receive rewards, showed reduced functional connectivity in depression. This explains why depressed people have low self-esteem and a sense of loss. This also leads to a weaker memory system in the hippocampus (brain’s memory center).
The lateral OFC exhibited stronger functional connectivity in persons with depression. This sector of the OFC is involved in non-reward and punishing events.
The results also displayed stronger connections with the precuneus (related with the sense of self) and the angular gyrus (responsible for memory retrieval and attention), making it difficult for depressed persons to feel good about themselves due to easily recall negative experiences.
Studies like this could allows to dramatically improve the lives of millions around the world, and find better treatment than the current hit and miss approach.