German scientists discovered the ability of depression have a detrimental effect on the state of the brain of people. Specialists of the Institute of neurobiology and cognitive Sciences max Planck in Leipzig have established long-term depression is able to change the structure of the main body of the CNS.
The specialists selected for their observations 84 people, pre-tested, which determined their mood and the time spent in stress. Based on these parameters was determined as the most depressed volunteers.
After this the participants were performed magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and analyzed its data, the researchers were able to see: people with severe symptoms of depression the left side of the hypothalamus was superior to the average healthy person.
The hypothalamus is part of the middle (intermediate) of the brain responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses from the cerebral cortex to numerous receptors. Thus, the hypothalamus provides the brain’s ability to regulate almost all body functions.
The researchers noticed that the volunteers with an increased share of the hypothalamus mechanisms of such regulation are violated, which significantly Tupelo people. In particular, they have seriously deteriorated the ability to solve common household tasks, decreased level of analytical skills.
“Many of the depressive patients, the left part of the hypothalamus was 5% higher than in healthy people. The more severe was the depression, the substantially increased size of the hypothalamus,” – said the authors of the project, adding that stress and depression the brain is not just be active and wear.
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