Antidepressants Protect Brain
Antidepressants Protect Brain
Continuing Medication Could Prevent 'Shrinkage' of Key Brain Region in Depressed Patients
Aug 1, 2003 -- Optimism, motivation, and hope aren't the only things stunted by depression. So is the size of a specific region of the brain.
Researchers have long known that the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory, is usually smaller in people with a history of depression than in those without the disease. But new research suggests that depressed patients who continue to take antidepressantmedication -- even when they're feeling better -- may be more likely to minimize or possibly prevent this shrinkage.
Using MRIs, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine measured the size of the hippocampus in 76 women -- half had repeated bouts of major depression while the others had no history of depression. Not only did the researchers find that the depressed women had a smaller hippocampus, but its size was largely determined by how long they continued their medication. The less time spent on medication, the greater the shrinkage.
"The take-home message is that not only do antidepressants help prevent relapse of depression in patients with a history of recurrent depression, but they also appear to protect against brain volume loss associated with depression," researcher Yvette I. Sheline, MD, tells WebMD.
"Our results suggest that if a woman takes antidepressants whenever she is depressed, depression would have less effect on the volume of her hippocampus. It is the untreated days that seem to affect hippocampal volumes."
Only women were studied because statistically, they are twice as vulnerable to depression as men, and Sheline focused only on their medication usage -- and not other important treatments such as psychotherapy.
Her study -- published in the August issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry -- is especially important because patients with major depression are prone to relapses even after long-term antidepressant treatment and others discontinue their medications once symptoms subside.
Most experts recommend treatment with antidepressants for at least six months -- and usually longer -- to prevent relapse. But a study last February in the American Journal of Managed Care indicates thatmany patients stop taking their medication within three months, and it's these patients who face a great likelihood of a relapse.
Antidepressants Protect Brain
Continuing Medication Could Prevent 'Shrinkage' of Key Brain Region in Depressed Patients
Aug 1, 2003 -- Optimism, motivation, and hope aren't the only things stunted by depression. So is the size of a specific region of the brain.
Researchers have long known that the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory, is usually smaller in people with a history of depression than in those without the disease. But new research suggests that depressed patients who continue to take antidepressantmedication -- even when they're feeling better -- may be more likely to minimize or possibly prevent this shrinkage.
Using MRIs, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine measured the size of the hippocampus in 76 women -- half had repeated bouts of major depression while the others had no history of depression. Not only did the researchers find that the depressed women had a smaller hippocampus, but its size was largely determined by how long they continued their medication. The less time spent on medication, the greater the shrinkage.
The Longer the Medication, the More Protection
"The take-home message is that not only do antidepressants help prevent relapse of depression in patients with a history of recurrent depression, but they also appear to protect against brain volume loss associated with depression," researcher Yvette I. Sheline, MD, tells WebMD.
"Our results suggest that if a woman takes antidepressants whenever she is depressed, depression would have less effect on the volume of her hippocampus. It is the untreated days that seem to affect hippocampal volumes."
Only women were studied because statistically, they are twice as vulnerable to depression as men, and Sheline focused only on their medication usage -- and not other important treatments such as psychotherapy.
Her study -- published in the August issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry -- is especially important because patients with major depression are prone to relapses even after long-term antidepressant treatment and others discontinue their medications once symptoms subside.
Most experts recommend treatment with antidepressants for at least six months -- and usually longer -- to prevent relapse. But a study last February in the American Journal of Managed Care indicates thatmany patients stop taking their medication within three months, and it's these patients who face a great likelihood of a relapse.
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