Module 43 - depressive disorders and bipolar disorder

Question 1

Major Depressive disorder (MDD)

Answer 1

• depressed mood - anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure)
• most common reason people seek mental health services, but goes away on its own in most cases
• more common in women by about 2:1
• often comorbid with other disorders (anxiety, substance use, etc.)

Question 2

lifestyle factors that correlate with less depression

Answer 2

• exercise
• healthy nutrition
• sunlight
• avoiding excessive alcohol use

Question 3

bipolar disorder

Answer 3

• alternating between depression and mania
  during manic episode:
• hyperactive, adventurous, risk-taking, wildly optimistic, grandiose
• don’t think anything is wrong - hard to get them to comply with medication

Question 4

subtypes of bipolar disorder

Answer 4

• bipolar I - full manic episodes, usually alternating with major depressive episodes
• bipolar II - hypomanic episodes (less extreme than full manic) alternating with major depressive episodes

Question 5

is bipolar mostly genetic or environmental?

Answer 5

• twin studies suggest its mostly genetic

Question 6

depression in the brain

Answer 6

• slower brain activity
• less left frontal love (reward center) activity
• less norepinephrine and dopamine activity
• less serotonin activity
  
  • some depression medications are serotonin agonists

Question 7

Mania in the brain

Answer 7

• faster brain activity
• more left frontal love (reward center) activity
• more norepinephrine and dopamine activity

Question 8

how can explanatory style affect depression

Answer 8

• can influence how well we cope with life stressors

Question 9

treatment of depression

Answer 9

• often treated with antidepressant medications
  
  • adjust balance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin
• therapy such as CBT
  
  • cognitive-behavioral therapy - trains the patient to recognize and change their negative thinking/behaving patterns
• or combination of both