Depression is not just a brain disease, but also a mind-body disease that affects bodily processes. People with depression can have higher likelihoods of developing diabetes, abnormalities in their cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer due to disrupted bodily processes.
The speaker discusses the various studies conducted around depression, including the ones on psychotropic medications, immunology, and diet, and stresses the importance of understanding a person’s full history and possible environmental triggers for depression.
This episode delves into the three major neurotransmitters associated with depression and how drugs targeting these neurotransmitters work to alleviate symptoms.
This podcast discusses how modern changes have affected the immune system and caused depression. The relationship between depression and the microbial world is also analyzed and the conversation includes expansion beyond the body and human realm.
Experts believe that while some medications affect the brain via noradrenaline, the evidence for its involvement in depression is weaker than that for serotonin. The serotonin theory of depression has been one of the most influential and extensively researched biological theories of the origins of depression.
While there is no specific chemical signature that equates to happiness, low levels of dopamine and serotonin can lead to lower mood and less happiness, while elevations in dopamine and serotonin levels can lead to more happiness. Understanding these connections is important in discussions about the psychology of happiness and the factors that contribute to it.