Clinical depression, also referred to as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), is one of the most common health conditions in the United States according to Kunj Gohil (Gohil, 2015), and has been ranked the third cause of the burden of disease worldwide by WHO (Bains, 2020). While the disease is extremely complex, in 2013 only 12 million of the 32 million individuals diagnosed with MDD sought treatment (Gohil, 2015). Clinical depression is known to affect several aspects of one’s life whether it be the ability to stay healthy in sleeping, completing tasks, life interests, or overall mood. While the etiology of MDD is believed to be multifactorial, certain experiences may elicit the symptoms associated with the disease. Such experiences may include the loss or passing of a loved one as seen during the COVID-19 outbreak. In March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, several countries announced a quarantine/stay-at-home order until further notice, causing students, families, and friends to separate abruptly in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. Several studies since then have been conducted in monitoring the mental health of communities based on previous studies interested in the prevalence of depression. Through a cross-sectional study, Notivol et al. concluded a 25% prevalence of global depression in 2020 in comparison to an initial 3.44% in 2017; the prevalence of global depression increased by 7 times (Bueno-Notvio, 2020). This suggests the COVID-19 pandemic universally impacted mental health as death rates increased at an alarmingly large rate worldwide. Possible contributors for this may be derived in the shift of limited freedom and control, changed plans for the future, and financial concerns. According to previous studies, women are twice more likely than men to be diagnosed with a form of depression at any age; though MDD is most likely to affect those of older ages ranging from 45 to 65. However, with the pandemic, the loss of jobs, loved ones, and the stress or anxiety that is accompanied by remote learning, MDD is not limited solely to older individuals.
As the United States consists of a diverse population of immigrants, understanding which groups may be more affected by such external factors on a neurobiological level is important in learning possible treatment and prevention methods. Previous studies have suggested a greater prevalence of depression amongst immigrant South Asian males (Karasz, 2019). As a Pakistani-American, I found this study to be of interest as the pandemic had affected my South Asian father through several avenues. Though the recent study conducted by Notvio et al. observed how the pandemic affected the mental health of communities, the inclusion criterion was not as definitive or representative of all marginalized groups. Therefore, building on BLANKS’ study regarding how specific groups are more prone to develop mental health illnesses such as MDD or anxiety, should be considered in the future.
Such study may be built on Kaylin E Hill, Susan C South, Ryan P Egan, and Dan Foti’s in Abnormal emotional reactivity in depression: Contrasting theoretical models using neurophysiological data. Hill et al. build upon previous studies regarding the neurobiological mechanisms associated with MDD and anxiety through systematically testing the emotional reactivity in individuals experiencing depression and anxiety. More specifically, Hill et al. discuss how theoretical models of depression such as the ECI hypothesis may be reflected in the symptoms anxious and depressed individuals experience. The ECI hypothesis stated MDD to cause a generalized decreased reactivity toward emotional stimuli as the LPP amplitude is reduced. Other models included the positive attenuation hypothesis and the negative potentiation hypothesis in which those with MDD elicit a reduced emotional reactivity toward positive stimuli and an increased level of reactivity toward negative stimuli, respectively. In order to confirm which model best aligned with the collected data regarding neural activity in depressed and anxious individuals, Hill et al. utilized SEM and concluded the ECI hypothesis to be most reflective of the EEG data associated with MDD. Therefore, the findings of this study were in alliance with the ECI model of depression. It is important to note, however, those with depression experienced the generalized reduction in emotional reactivity in comparison to those with anxiety.
As the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be administered, treating and preventing the rise of such mental health illnesses is equally as important. Given that there has been a global increase in diagnosed depression of 7 times what it was in 2017 in addition to less than half of the diagnosed seeking treatment, conditions like MDD that affect both the neural and behavioral activity need further improvement.
References:
Bains N, Abdijadid S. Major Depressive Disorder. [Updated 2020 Oct 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559078/
Bueno-Notivol, J., Gracia-García, P., Olaya, B., Lasheras, I., López-Antón, R., & Santabárbara, J. (2020). Prevalence of depression during the COVID-19 outbreak: A meta-analysis of community-based studies. International Journal Of Clinical And Health Psychology, 21(1), 100196. Doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2020.07.007
Gohil K, Shah P. Major Depressive Disorder: New Products Are Facing a Saturated Market. P T. 2015;40(3):215-217.
Hill, K., South, S., Egan, R., & Foti, D. (2019). Abnormal emotional reactivity in depression: Contrasting theoretical models using neurophysiological data. Biological Psychology, 141, 35-43. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.12.011
Karasz A, Gany F, Escobar J, et al. Mental Health and Stress Among South Asians. J Immigr Minor Health. 2019;21(Suppl 1):7-14. doi:10.1007/s10903-016-0501-4
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