2023 m. vasario 27 d.
Scientists have made a startling discovery. According to a new study researchers presented at the 35th Annual European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Vienna, certain anti-depressants can cause drastic changes in the brain. In fact, they may even be able to rewire brains affected by major depressive disorder. Major depressive disorder, or MDD as I’ll refer to it from here out, is a mental health disorder that is characterized by persistent depressing moods, dark thoughts, and a general loss of interest in any activities. It can cause major impairment in the daily lives of people affected by it. Now, though, we may be able to treat it by using certain anti-depressants to change how the brain is wired. In the past, researchers have found that anti-depressants and even behavioral therapy and electroconvulsive therapy just don’t work for everyone that suffers from MDD. However, a group of researchers in Germany are now claiming that anti-depressants can change the brain structures themselves. However, they aren’t sure how long those changes will remain. Past studies have found that serious bouts of depression are often associated with a change in the volume of gray matter and white matter found within the brain. Each type of brain matter is associated with different functions of the body, and any changes in them can drastically change how our brains react. As such, being able to change the brain’s structure with anti-depressants is huge.