According to MedlinePlus, approximately 19 million adults in the United States are affected by depression each year. Depression can cause an extremely low mood, as well as feelings of worthlessness and a loss of pleasure in everyday activities....
The brain consists of a series of interconnected cells (called neurons) as well as the cells that protect and support the neurons. Neurons are responsible for the activity in the nervous system, which means that in the brain they control...
According to a 2002 review in "American Family Physician," depression is the second-most common chronic disorder seen by primary care physicians, and major depression affects more than 10 percent of Americans. Medications are often prescribed for...
Almost 10 percent of American adults suffer from depression each year, according to research by the Boston University School of Medicine. Some cases are severe enough to warrant medication. But even going outside and raking your lawn for half an...
Among all-natural treatments for depression, two popular choices are tyrosine and 5HTP, amino acids that may produce changes in brain chemicals, which in turn can affect your mood. Alternative treatments like 5HTP or tyrosine are not for...
Feeling down or sad once in a while is normal. However, when these feelings overtake your day-to-day life and impair your ability to work, eat, sleep and play, depression may be the culprit. There is no one single factor that can cause severe...
Chemical balance throughout your body, including your cells, tissues and organs, enables you to sustain your health. However, chemical imbalances can increase your risk of disease. Diet plays a vital role in maintaining chemical balances in your...
While many factors can cause humans to feel sad for variable periods of time, true depression is a psychiatric symptom that has clear chemical origins. Research on depression and in the field of neuropsychology has revealed that low levels of...
Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals used by the central nervous system to help communicate signals from one area of the brain to another. According to the website All About Depression, an imbalance in neurotransmitters, such as serotonin,...
Depression can take many forms, and it is attributed by the Mayo Clinic and others to a blend of social, genetic and environmental triggers. However, the biological components of depression are a major factor influencing the severity, extent and...
Alterations of chemicals in the brain are responsible for triggering depression. Researchers have worked hard to understand the complexity associated with hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain and how depression is triggered, made worse, and...
Depression is a debilitating mood disorder that involves excessive sadness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 21 million adults suffer from a mood disorder each year, of which 14.8 million are affected by major...
While there is no definitive cause of depression, according to the Mayo Clinic there is some evidence that one etiology of depression is inherited, as depression is more common in those with biological family members who also suffer from some form...
Depression produces pervasive feelings of sadness and despair. The gloomy feelings appear along with complaints of difficulty concentrating, irritability, sleep problems, poor appetite and thoughts of worthlessness. The exact cause of depression...
It's impossible to understand how antidepressants work without a clear understanding of the functions of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are released in the brain. They enable impulses from one nerve cell to pass to another...
The causes of depression are not entirely known. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that major life changes, childhood trauma or medical conditions could contribute to the onset and exacerbation of symptoms. Another possible cause is...
Amitriptyline is the generic name for the antidepressant marketed in the United States as Elavil or Vanatrip. It is a "tricyclic" medication, meaning it works on three brain neurotransmitters associated with depression: serotonin, norepinephrine...
The book "In Search of Memory" describes nerve cells or neurons that represent the basic signaling components in the brain. A synapse is the space between two nerve cells. Chemicals called neurotransmitters leave one nerve cell at the synapse...
Effexor 37.5, also known as venlafaxine, is a medication that belongs to the drug classification serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It is used to treat depression. The number 37.5 refers to a low dosage of the medication.
Serotonin and norepinephrine are two neurotransmitters that are involved in mood, and are thought to be connected to depression. The Mayo Clinic notes that it is hypothesized that a deficit in either neurotransmitter can cause depression. Both...
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes symptoms of both mania and depression in patients. As classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, symptoms of bipolar disorder must last for at least 2 weeks...
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), proper nutrition and avoiding excessive intake of alcohol, sugars, and caffeine can be critical to the prevention and regulation of depression. In fact, a 2008 study by Rao et al....
A serious and common mood disorder, depression affects 121 million people in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization adds that depression is the second cause of global burden of disease in 15- to 44-year-olds....
Approximately 14.8 million American adults suffer from depression, as shown by R.C. Kessler, Ph.D., in a study published in June 2005 in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry. Although there are numerous reasons why a person begins to suffer...
There are several possible causes of depression. Determining the role of neurophysiological mechanisms in depression involves primarily the structures and chemicals of the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, as well as the...
Nerve cells, or neurons, function as the communication system in the brain, similar to the way utility wires transmit electricity. The gap between two nerve cells is called a synapse, according to the University of Washington. The body produces...
We feel down at times, but there are some people who feel down for weeks. This is generally called depression, and today it affects up to 8 percent of our population. Depression can be persistent and often requires treatment. There are assortments...
Major depression afflicts 6.7 percent of American adults each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Whether depression manifests with symptoms severe enough to be a diagnosable disorder, or occurs just as the result of life...
Depression is a chronic illness that needs treatment. Depression can range from mild to severe. Treatment for depression includes medications, psychological therapy and alternative therapies such as herbs. You should not treat severe depression...
