Researchers from the United States point out to differences in the brain matter of people who may be at risk for depression. The study established that people who have high risk of developing depression have lesser right brain matter which can be compared to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
People who had a positive history of depression showed thinning of their right cortex or the outer layer of the brain by as much as 28 per cent.
The study involved 131 individuals aged between 6 and 54 that either had or had not history of depression in the family. The study was designed to trace any specific abnormality in the brain which may indicate predisposition to depression rather than the effects of the mental condition on the brain.
The thinning of the right side of the cortex was seen in individuals that had family history of depression. Those who were actually depressed also demonstrated thinning of the left part of the brain.
The thinning of the right side of the brain may increase the risk for depression for individuals specifically seen as disruption in the processing of emotional and social cues.
The subjects during the study who had thinner right cortex also performed poorly when memory and attention tests were administered by the proponents.
The results of the study only suggests predisposition of persons with thinner right cortex to depression and attention problems. As per treatment, stimulants may be suggested to treat cases of depression in some patients.
no comment until now