Mood Disorders Extremes of mood ranging from depression to mania.

I. Depressive Disorder Characteristics: –Deep depression –Loss of interest or pleasure in activities –Weight loss –Problems with concentration –Thoughts about death

Very widespread –15% of population will suffer from depressive disorder Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men

Reasons for depression –Stress: physical illness, geographic moves, & deaths of friends are often followed by depressions How does stress lead to depression? –Intense brain activity that is associated with stress depletes the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the area of the brain known as the hypothalamus which is responsible for mood.

Factors that protect people from stress- related depression –Social support: having friends to turn to for help during periods of stress cause people to be less likely to become depressed. –The number of friends is not as important as the quality of friends. –Aerobic exercise: jogging, swimming, cycling, etc. Why? 1.People in good physical condition have smaller physiological responses to stressors than other individuals 2.The body produces more serotonin during aerobic exercise, which helps protect individuals from depression

Reasons for depression cont. –Some people are more likely to become depressed due to physiological predisposition to depression –Genetic factors cause some people to have lower levels of serotonin. Diathesis-stress –Incorrect negative beliefs Persistent negative thoughts will lead the individual to see themselves, their world, and the their future as negative. Those negative beliefs then lead to depression.

Do the negative beliefs cause the depression? Or does the depression cause the negative beliefs?

Treatment –Psychotherapy Patient learns how to avoid or cope with stress and the therapist provides social support. –Cognitive therapy Used to change negative beliefs Evidence shows that cognitive therapy can be as effective as drug therapy without the negative side affects often associated w/ drug therapy

Physiological Causes Neurotransmitters –Serotonin & Norepinephrine Crucial because they play a central role in the operation of the hypothalamus (structure of the brain that controls mood) Low levels of neurotransmitters results in low activity in the hypothalamus, which causes a depressed mood. Tryptophan

Brain Damage –Strokes often result in depression –More likely if stroke occurs in the left prefrontal cortex. –MRI’s confirm this conclusion Genetics –Best predictor of whether an individual will suffer from depression is a biological family history of depression.

Physiological Treatments Becoming the most widely used treatments Antidepressant drugs: corrects problem with neurotransmitters Stimulants and herbal medicines: –Example: amphetamines & cocaine Increase production of neurotransmitters like serotonin. –Quick fix –Not used as treatment: When an individual stops taking the stimulant the depression becomes worse than before.

Herbal –Omega 3 –Saint John’s wort Studies show SJW was more effective than placebos and about as effective as prozac for treating depression Most investigative patients were suffering from mild depression.