Biology of Depression - Altered Neuroplasticity

Altered Neuroplasticity

Recent studies have called attention to the role of altered neuroplasticity in depression. Pittenger and Duman have reviewed extensive research, demonstrating a convergence of three phenomena:

  1. Chronic stress reduces synaptic and dendritic plasticity
  2. Depressed subjects show evidence of impaired neuroplasticity (e.g. shortening and reduced complexity of dendritic trees)
  3. Anti-depressant medications enhance neuroplasticity at both a molecular and dendritic level.

They conclude that disrupted neuroplasticity is an underlying feature of depression, and is reversed by antidepressants.

Read more about this topic:  Biology Of Depression

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