Can stress cause depression?
The central issue raised in this paper is: can stress cause depression? Phrased more precisely: can stress cause brain disturbances thought to underlie (certain forms of) depression or particular components of the depressive syndrome. Focussing on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the stress hormones,...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry 2004-08, Vol.28 (5), p.891-907 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | The central issue raised in this paper is: can stress
cause depression? Phrased more precisely: can stress
cause brain disturbances thought to underlie (certain forms of) depression or particular components of the depressive syndrome. Focussing on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the stress hormones, this question was answered in the affirmative, based on the following two considerations:
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Changes in the 5-HT and stress hormone systems produced by sustained stress mimic to a substantial extent the disturbances in these systems that may be observed in depression.
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Substantial evidence indicates that the 5-HT and stress hormone disturbances in depression are of pathophysiological significance and not merely a consequence of the depressed state or a product of stress generated by the depressed state.
Furthermore, the question was raised whether a depression type could be identified particularly stress-inducible. This question, too, was answered in the affirmative. The depression type in question was named anxiety/aggression-driven depression and characterized on three levels: psychopathologically, biologically and psychologically. Preferential treatment of this depression type was discussed.
In studying stress-inducible depression, biological depression research should shift focus from depression per se to the neurobiological sequelae of stress. Treatment of stress-inducible depressions and particularly its prevention should be geared towards reduction of stress and stress sensitiveness, utilising both biological and psychological means. |
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ISSN: | 0278-5846 1878-4216 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2004.05.031 |