The etiology of depression
Depression is a pathological condition that affects many people across the universe. To date, medics are yet to establish the exact causes of depression. It is said that multiple factors that cause depression are involved in many mental disorders. These includes biological differences, brain chemistry, hormones, and genetics. The paper describes the major causes of depression, the cells, tissues and organs affected by depression, and the organ system functions that are affected by the pathologic condition.
Biological differences
Genetic, hormonal, neurological, neuroendocrinological, and immunological mechanisms play a significant role towards the development of depression. Nonetheless, the majority of these factors revolves around reactions to stressors and the dispensation of emotional information. It is important to note that the gender and developmental factors modify the etiological processes. Individuals that are diagnosed with depression have a likelihood of having physical changes in their brains. Even though the level of these changes is uncertain, they play a significant role towards establishing the causes of depression in human beings.
Brain chemistry
Neurotransmitters occur naturally in the brain and are said to cause depression. It has been found that the fluctuation in the role and effect of these brain chemicals, in addition to how they engage with neurocircuits that play a role in preserving mood stability may be a causal factor for depression. He changes of the brain chemicals should be monitored to avoid triggering depression to the affected people.
Genetics
Health statistics indicates that depression is popular to people who comes from families that most members have been diagnosed with the condition. As a result, researchers have engaged in studies that aim at locating the specific genes that may be causing depression among family members (Uher & McGuffin, 2010). An example is the worldwide chromosomal study that tries to find out the gene that causes depression.
Hormones
When the body’s balance of hormones varies, it can either cause or trigger depression. They are many factors that can result in hormonal change like pregnancy, postpartum period, menopause, thyroid problems, and also other conditions. The hormonal changes during this period can lead to depression.
Environment
The environment is also a possible factor that can contribute to depression. For example, the lack of employment, financial problems, or even the demise of a loved one can initiate the spells of depression. Besides, environment factors like neglect, rape, sexual and physical abuse are examples of maltreatment are affect the emotional health of the individual affected greatly. Similarly, clinical depression can also result from chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Social isolation or even the period of relationship conflict can also cause depression if handled in an inappropriate manner.
What specific cells, tissues and organs are affected by depression?
The brain
The brain is an organ that is greatly affected by depression. A depressed person has a high blood pressure induced by multiple stress. Furthermore, prolonged stress interferes with the blood sugar levels, and this affects the heart functions.
The stomach
The stomach of a depressed person is exposed to many problems. For instance, the food in the stomach of a depressed person is not well absorbed in the digestive system. Chronic depression can interfere with the gastric secretions produced by the mucosal permeability and barrier function, gut motility, mucosal blood flow, and visceral sensitivity.
The skin
Depression affects the human skin by causing perilous skin problems like blisters, acne, random breakouts, psoriasis, eczema, etc. depression triggers the release of neuropeptides and pro-inflammatory cytokines which cause skin problems.
Joints and muscles
The joints and muscles can be affected by aches and pain that results from depression. Research indicates that adolescents are affected by neck and shoulder pain that arises from high-stress levels (Buijs et.al, 2003). Moreover, shoulder and low back pain are musculoskeletal symptoms that are highly linked to perceived stress.
What organ systems functions are affected and how by the pathologic condition
The immune system is affected by depression making it difficult to protect the body against antigens. For instance, high depression levels release corticosteroids that lower the number of lymphocytes in the blood, and this affects the function of the immune system. The stress hormone cortisol hinders the immune system in controlling the level of hormones in the human body.
The function of the pancreas is also affected by depression. Notably, depression leads to a fight or flight response that increases the blood pressure, the rate of breathing, heart rate, and even the blood sugar levels (Penninx et.al, 2003). As a result, the pancreas reacts by releasing a higher amount of insulin that is detrimental and damages our arteries, increasing an individual’s risk to obesity and diabetes.
The functioning of the heart is also affected by depression. For example, emotional effects that emerge from the pathological condition alters the rhythms of the heart, and this poses a danger to persons who suffer from arrhythmia. Furthermore, the heart is exposed to inflammatory markers that are released into the bloodstream by increased stress and causes heart disease or even increase the chances of a heart attack.
References
Buijs, R. M., Van Eden, C. G., Goncharuk, V. D., & Kalsbeek, A. (2003). The biological clock tunes the organs of the body: timing by hormones and the autonomic nervous system. Journal of Endocrinology, 177(1), 17-26.
Penninx, B. W., Kritchevsky, S. B., Yaffe, K., Newman, A. B., Simonsick, E. M., Rubin, S., & Pahor, M. (2003). Inflammatory markers and depressed mood in older persons: results from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. Biological psychiatry, 54(5), 566-572.
Uher, R., & McGuffin, P. (2010). The moderation by the serotonin transporter gene of environmental adversity in the etiology of depression: 2009 update. Molecular psychiatry, 15(1), 18-22.
