Biological factors of affective disorders
A genetic predisposition indicates the involvement of biological factors in determining affective disorders. But what are these factors? The main hypothesis is biochemical, and it belongs mainly to great depression. According to this hypothesis, biochemical disorders lead to a decrease in the level of a number of important neurotransmitters of important areas of the brain, thereby causing depression. Some researchers are of the opinion that this is serotonin, others believe that - norepinephrine, while others say. That both neurotransmitters are needed.
It is very difficult to distinguish the contribution of each of these mediators, but researchers can do this indirectly, evaluating the number of by -products remaining after using the body of the mediator.
These products can be found in a cerebrospinal fluid (spinal fluid) or urine; The low content of these products indicates the low level of the corresponding mediator. As expected, the level of appropriate metabolism products is much lower in people suffering from depression than in healthy people.
Confirmation of this hypothesis is the effect of various antidepressants. They increase the level of norepinephrine and/or serotonin level available to synaptic transmission, which proves the fact that the original reason was precisely in the lack of these substances. Moreover, drugs that reduce the number of these mediators can lead to serious and long depression.
Despite all these evidence, some other discoveries complicate the picture. One of the problems is the time through which the drug effect occurs. Although antidepressants lead to an almost immediate increase in the level of available norepinephrine and/or serotonin, this is a short -lived increase. Within a few days, the level of the mediator is reduced to the original. And the effect of drugs appears 2 to 3 weeks after the treatment has begun. Then how do these drugs affect? Some studies show that instead of increasing the number of neurotransmitters, antidepressants make the corresponding neurons more sensitive to them.
And what about the bipolar disorder? As with great depression, the level of norepinephrine in patients decreases in patients; And rises when they are in the manic phase. But with bipolar disorder there is still something. The transition from mania or hypomania to depression and also vice versa in patients, as a rule, occurs very quickly and does not depend on external causes. This involves the appropriate internal biological switching, the nature of which is not clear, but a number of researchers believe that this is due to the membranes of neurons that inadequately respond to the fluctuations of some mediators. If you need to advertise on reddit. And you are looking for a platform where you can always buy reddit upvotes or buy a reddit account - a MakeSocialGrow platform for your services. Register, replenish your account and start your promotion.
It is very difficult to distinguish the contribution of each of these mediators, but researchers can do this indirectly, evaluating the number of by -products remaining after using the body of the mediator.
These products can be found in a cerebrospinal fluid (spinal fluid) or urine; The low content of these products indicates the low level of the corresponding mediator. As expected, the level of appropriate metabolism products is much lower in people suffering from depression than in healthy people.
Confirmation of this hypothesis is the effect of various antidepressants. They increase the level of norepinephrine and/or serotonin level available to synaptic transmission, which proves the fact that the original reason was precisely in the lack of these substances. Moreover, drugs that reduce the number of these mediators can lead to serious and long depression.
Despite all these evidence, some other discoveries complicate the picture. One of the problems is the time through which the drug effect occurs. Although antidepressants lead to an almost immediate increase in the level of available norepinephrine and/or serotonin, this is a short -lived increase. Within a few days, the level of the mediator is reduced to the original. And the effect of drugs appears 2 to 3 weeks after the treatment has begun. Then how do these drugs affect? Some studies show that instead of increasing the number of neurotransmitters, antidepressants make the corresponding neurons more sensitive to them.
And what about the bipolar disorder? As with great depression, the level of norepinephrine in patients decreases in patients; And rises when they are in the manic phase. But with bipolar disorder there is still something. The transition from mania or hypomania to depression and also vice versa in patients, as a rule, occurs very quickly and does not depend on external causes. This involves the appropriate internal biological switching, the nature of which is not clear, but a number of researchers believe that this is due to the membranes of neurons that inadequately respond to the fluctuations of some mediators. If you need to advertise on reddit. And you are looking for a platform where you can always buy reddit upvotes or buy a reddit account - a MakeSocialGrow platform for your services. Register, replenish your account and start your promotion.
