According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) “264 million people worldwide live with depression. In 2017, around 17.3 million adults age 18 or older in the U.S. had experienced at least one major depressive episode in the last year.”
Depression (clinical depression or major depressive disorder) is a mood disorder that causes mild to severe symptoms that interfere with daily living. It is a set of symptoms stemming from persistent sadness, and it includes loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed, and lack of interest in life. Other medical conditions can mimic the symptoms of depression and it is important to investigate the root cause.
To diagnosis depression, the symptoms must persist for at least two weeks. The symptomatology effects
- Thoughts
- Feelings
- Physical activity
- Eating habits
- Home and professional life
What are common types of depressive disorders?
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Single and Recurrent Episodes
- Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
- Substance/Medication-Induced Depressive Disorder
- Depressive Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
- Other Specified Depressive Disorder
- Unspecified Depressive Disorder
Signs and symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- Depressed mood and/or loss of interest/pleasure must be present
- Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
- Loss of interest/pleasure
- Weight loss or gain
- Psychomotor Agitation (movements without purpose: pacing, fast talking, tapping, etc.)
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Fatigue
- Feeling worthless or excessive/inappropriate guilt
- Decreased concentration
- Thoughts of death/suicide
What are the health effects of depression?
- Cardiovascular system
- Nervous system
- Digestive system
- Immune System
- Endocrine system
Cardiovascular system
Physiological effects
- ↑ Heart rate
- ↑ Blood pressure
- ↑ Blood flow to the heart
- ↑ Cortisol production (stress hormone)
- ↑ Platelet reactivity
- ↑ Proinflammatory markers (CRP)
- ↓ Heart variability
Consequences
- Congestive heart failure
- Cardiovascular disease
- Arterial damage
- Irregular heart rhythms
- ↑ Risk for heart attack or blood clots in preexisting heart disease
- ↑ Hospitalization and mortality in preexisting heart failure
- ↓ Recovery from heart attack or heart surgery
- Lifestyle factors that increases risk for CVD in MDD
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Inactivity
- Poor diet
- Poor medication adherence
Nervous system
Physiological effects
Consequences
- Changes in BBB allows for easier entry of inflammatory molecules or immune cells into the CNS
- Structural and functional changes
- Disturbance of the connections between nerve cells
- Disturbance of the brain cells communication with each other
- Mild Neurodegeneration
- Atrophy and loss of neurons
- Structural alterations in limbic brain regions (control emotion and mood)
- Depression in Neuropsychiatric conditions:Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, epilepsy, brain tumors, etc.
Digestive system
Physiological effects
- Dysfunction of the Enteric nervous system (ENS)(> 100 million nerve cells lining gastrointestinal tract
- Disturbed brain–gut axis functions
Consequences
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases risk for developing depression
Immune System
Physiological effects
- Increased inflammatory activation of the immune system
- Increased circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines
- Weaken immune system
Consequences
- Increased susceptibility to illness
- Allergies
- Autoimmune diseases (Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Increased risk for infections
Endocrine system
Physiological effects
- Increased levels of stress hormones
- Low levels of thyroid hormone
- Alterations in thyroid-stimulating hormone response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)
- Abnormalities in the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT)
- Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
- Increased blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia)
- Adrenocorticoid hypersecretio
Consequences
- Dysregulation of the neuroendocrine and neuroimmune pathways
- Hypothyroidism
- Adrenal Fatigue
- Hormonal imbalances
- Decreased secretion of insulin
- Insulin resistance
- Diabetes
When to see a doctor
Seek a healthcare provider when experiencing disproportionate and persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed, and lack of interest in life to address your root cause
DISCLAIMER
This information is intended for educational purposes only and it is not intended to take the place of consultation with your physician.
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