Untreated Depression Essay

In a large study of brain scans, it was found that depression directly changes the structure of the brain. The changes were found in the white matter of the brain, which contains tissue channels that allow the brain cells to communicate with each other by electrical signals. White matter is a key component of the brain structure, and its change and destruction is associated with the problems of processing emotions, as well as with disabilities in the field of mental skills. The study was conducted on 3,000 patients – this is the largest study of its kind – and it can shed light on the biology of depression, and also help with the search for medication and treatment.

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How Does an Untreated Depression Change the Brain Over Time?

Mental health has always been a big issue. Although how certain organizations and advocates try to raise awareness and educate people regarding mental health is commendable, the number of people who do not fully understand and recognize the genuineness of the condition and its effects is quite disappointing and alarming. One of the widely misunderstood mental health disorders is depression. This would often be mistaken as just feeling sad or down when in fact it is a mood disorder that affects the way a person think, feel, and behave due to the persistent presence of negative irrational thoughts.

An individual would be diagnosed as clinically depressed when the constant feelings of helplessness and melancholy prevent the person to function well and perform mundane tasks. The effects of depression are most evident in the social and physical aspects of a person’s life. It has been known since long time that depression is a mood disorder. That’s why its biological effects, specifically in certain areas of the brain, are often overlooked. A recent brain imaging research have provided evidences that a major depressive disorder (MDD) untreated for at least a span of ten years changes the brain over time (Setiawan et al. 346).

The researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) scan to measure translocator protein (TSPO), an indicator of brain inflammation. Higher levels of TSPO was found in people who had depression for more than a decade implying more brain inflammation than those who have been suffering from depression for less than ten years. Findings in a similar study indicated that people with depression had higher levels of a different marker of brain inflammation called C-Reactive Protein (CRP) than those who do not (Cepeda et al. 1669).

Findings of the recent researches that have explored the effects of depression to the brain are very significant as it could pave the way to the development of more effective and advanced ways to treat depression. At this time, the available treatments for depression are limited to a behaviorally-inclined approach which focuses on the eradication of irrational thoughts or prescription drugs known as anti-depressants. These research findings only reiterate the need for innovation in the approaches to treat depression taking into consideration that depression is not a static disorder but a progressive one.

Due to the collective effort of mental health advocates and certain organizations in raising awareness and educating the society about mental health disorders in general, people have never been more accepting and open-minded when it comes to understanding a condition like depression and its effects. Although it could still be a long way to go to completely remove the stigma from those who are suffering from depression, it could not be denied that it has gone so far. It is quite hard to understand a disorder like depression especially if you haven’t experienced it firsthand but it doesn’t take much effort to take a little time to understand it to make the lives of those who are suffering from it easier.

Works Cited

1. Setiawan, Elaine, et al. "Association of translocator protein total distribution volume
   with duration of untreated major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional study." The Lancet
   Psychiatry 5.4 (2018): 339-347.
2. Cepeda, M. Soledad, Paul Stang, and Rupa Makadia."Depression Is Associated With
   High Levels of C-Reactive Protein and Low Levels of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide:
   Results From the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys." The
   Journal of clinical psychiatry 77.12 (2016): 1666-1671.

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