NEURO Depression + Mood Disorders Flashcards
(17 cards)
What are the cognitive, behavioural, somatic and affective symptoms of depression?
Cognitive= difficulty with concentrating or making decisions.
Behavioural= social withdrawal and agitation.
Somatic (physical)= insomnia (sleeping not enough) or hypersomnia (sleeping too much).
Affective (mood)= depressed mood not due to effect of substance of medical condition.
How does genetics effect depression?
Monozygotic: identical twins from one egg.
-100% shared genetic variation.
-39% concordance rate for depression.
Dizygotic: fraternal twins from 2 eggs.
-50% shared genetic variation.
-27% concordance rate for depression.
How does environment effect depression?
Brown (1993)
-Depressed patients- 84% severe stress in previous year.
-Control- 32% severe stress in previous year.
How does the diathesis- stress model effect depression?
Combination of genetics and environment contribute to depression.
Disposition from birth then environment pushes over the edge.
Explain bipolar genetics?
Monozygotic (1 egg) identical twins: 92% concordance rate for depression.
Dizygotic (2 eggs) non-identical twins: 23% concordance rate for depression.
What is heritability in behavioural genetics?
Estimate of how much variance in some characteristics within the same population is due to difference in heredity.
Varies between 0 and 2 (i.e. 0 and 100%).
0.5 intermediate.
Outline MAO Inhibitors
Mono amine oxidase (MAO)- enzyme that breaks down monoamine neurotransmitters. MAO inhibitors stop it working. Leaves more neurotransmitter in the neuron so more can be released.
E.g. Iproniazid- feel less depressed after taking, developed to treat tuberculosis.
What are two types of Monoamine Neurotransmitter?
Catecholamines-> e.g. dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine.
Indolamines-> e.g. serotonin.
What can we say about monoamine neurotransmitters?
Diffuse projections.
What is a tricyclic antidepressant?
Chemical structure including a three ring chain.
Block reuptake and therefore leaves more transmitter at the synapse.
What is prozac?
Blocks reuptake and therefore leaves more transmitter at the synapse. -> increasing the activation of serotonin receptors.
It is an SSRI (Selective, serotonin, re-uptake, inhibitor).- also paxil, zoloft, luvox, remeron, seroxat.
Why is lithium used to treat bi-polar disorder?
Interferes with second messenger system, which helps reduce the frequency and severity of mania.
Outline the monoamine theory of depression?
If anti-depressants act on monoamines, depression then caused by deficit of monoamine neurotransmission. Some evidence of elevated receptors in depressed patients (to compensate for low levels of transmission).
Monoamine neurotransmitters could modulate brain regions involved in emotion and cognition.
-> amygdala, orbital and medial prefrontal cortex, mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus.
Explain Becks Cognitive Triad?
Negative views about the word.
Negative views about the future.
Negative views about oneself.
Explain learned helplessness (Martin Seligman)?
When dog in box with barrier, tone (sound) indicates a shock.
Dog must jump over barrier to avoid shock. After dog been in condition where they can’t escape the shock (tethered or high barrier).
They no longer jump to the no shock zone.
What is Seligman’s attributional model?
Attributions of negative events.
3 dimensions are:
- Internal vs External.
- Global vs Specific.
- Stable vs Unstable.
What two types of depression can someone have?
Bipolar (with mania) or uni-polar (without mania).
