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:
- Chronic stress reduces synaptic and dendritic plasticity
- Depressed subjects show evidence of impaired neuroplasticity (e.g. shortening and reduced complexity of dendritic trees)
- 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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