Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Your Heart says Treat Depression

           Depression has become an increasing concern in society. It is often said that my generation, millennials as we are called, are even more susceptible to depression. While I have had my low points, the TED talk introduced to me in class by Dr. Silton, Depression, the Secret We Share presented by Andrew Solomon was really insightful concerning the effect depression had on him. It really made the concept of anhedonia and the issue of decreased vitality more salient for me. The talk by Dr. Rebecca Silton really hit me as I have loved ones who have suffered from depression and it seems to be something that is commonly underrated. I know I did not understand it when I used to think depression was just sadness that a person could get over when I was young and ignorant. Sometimes psychological disorders with vague diagnostic criteria and little mechanistic understanding are given less emphasis than physiological diseases, such as heart disease. If it’s something psychological, it’s easy for others to say, “Just get over it.” However, an article in the Scientific American, Treating Depression Early May Protect the Heart, points out that “heart disease and depression often go hand in hand” and this probably begins at an early age. The news article mentions a study that used questionnaires to measure mental health and depression symptoms while also measuring the diameter of retinal blood vessels, which could indicate early cardiovascular disease. They came across a correlation and found that “participates with more symptoms of depression and anxiety had wider retinal arterioles than others, which could reflect the quality of blood vessels in their heart and brain” (Rodriguez). In the article, one of the researchers from Arizona State University does admit that they are unsure if this relationship is causal but that the symptoms of the psychological disorders could indicate who is at risk for cardiovascular disease.
            So, I think this news article emphasizes the importance of identifying those at risk for depression and treating their depressive symptoms earlier, it can possibly prevent heart disease in some people. The study "Low positive affect and reduced PFC activity" done by Dr. Silton, explains the association between low positive affect and depression. Low positive affect, which is also associated with anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure), correlated with increased alpha waves in the left prefrontal cortex. Alpha Waves (8-13 Hz) in the prefrontal cortex might correlate with the attentional network whose decreased efficiency may play a role in depression. While the mechanism is still not completely clear, the study does offer more insight. Dr. Silton’s findings may be helpful for identifying those at risk for depression so that the negative symptoms do not keep escalating. Her study looked at individuals with remitted depression, so they were not currently in a major depressive episode. Yet, the increase in alpha waves within the prefrontal cortex remained, indicating that positive affect and negative affect could be “trait-like” and, therefore, provide significant clues for early identification. This seems to suggest thinking about depression as a chronic disease rather than something that is there and then suddenly gone. Something I found interesting between the two articles was that Dr. Silton’s study distinguishes the characteristics of anxiety and depression, with low positive affect being distinct to depression while high negative affect was associated with anxiety, but the studies mentioned in the articles seemed to clump the symptoms of anxiety and depression. I think this goes to show that more research and understanding of brain mechanics for each condition is needed.  
            The article from the Scientific American does also cite another study from Psychosomatic Medicine that states treating the symptoms of the psychological disorders early may help prevent heart disease. In my opinion, I believe depression is a very real issue but our understanding of its neurological mechanism and cause is limited and hazy. I think studies like this one performed by Dr. Silton and the article in the Scientific American really demonstrate the importance and urgency of discovering more and treating the debilitating disorder of depression that affects so many people. While I think improving the overall quality of life for the people suffering from depression through early action and detection is enough in itself, adding on the possible prevention of heart disease by treating depressive symptoms is an added incentive to learn more about depression, its workings and its effects and how to better treat it. These correlations exemplify the significance of depression and the importance of treatment.

References:
Ted Talk by Andrew Solomon

Rodriguez, Tori. “Treating Depression Early May Protect the Heart.” Scientific American. 1 May 2015. Web. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/treating-depression-early-may-protect-the-heart/

Rebecca Silton et al. “Low positive affect and reduced PFC activity”

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