Hormones

The National Institute of Mental Health is doing great work on hormones and their link to depression.  Check out what they are saying:

“The hormonal system that regulates the body’s response to stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, is overactive in many patients with depression, and NIMH researchers are investigating whether this phenomenon contributes to the development of the illness.

The hypothalamus, the brain region responsible for managing hormone release from glands throughout the body, increases production of a substance called corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) when a threat to physical or psychological well-being is detected. Elevated levels and effects of CRF lead to increased hormone secretion by the pituitary and adrenal glands which prepares the body for defensive action. The body’s responses include reduced appetite, decreased sex drive, and heightened alertness. NIMH research suggests that persistent overactivation of this hormonal system may lay the groundwork for depression. The elevated CRF levels detectable in depressed patients are reduced by treatment with antidepressant drugs or ECT, and this reduction corresponds to improvement in depressive symptoms.”

NIMH scientists are investigating how and whether the hormonal research findings fit together with the discoveries from genetics research and monoamine studies.  To find out more visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depresfact.cfm

To learn more about hormone health and find out how to test your levels of hormones, visit: www.womenshealth.com.  

Electroconvulvsive Therapy (ECT)
ECT is sometimes recommended for people with psychotic depressions or people who cannot take antidepressants for health reasons, including pregnant women who suffer from depression. 

Electroconvulsive therapy is usually administered three times a week.  In most cases, a patient requires anywhere from three to fifteen treatments.  Even when the patient is considered to function at a normal level, it is typical to administer one or two additional treatments to avoid relapse.

ECT works in the following way: The patient is put to sleep with a short-acting barbiturate.  Then, succinycholine is administered to temporarily paralyze the muscles so that they do not contract during the treatment, which could be dangerous for the patient.  In unilateral ECT, an electrode is placed above the temple of the nondominant side of the brain, and another is placed in the middle of the forehead.  In bilateral ECT, one electrode is placed above each temple.  A very small current, lasting for about a second, is then passed through the brain, activating it and producing a seizure.  The patient sleeps peacefully while breathing oxygen through a mask.  Ten to fifteen minutes later, the patient wakes up and may experience a brief period of confusion, headaches, or stiffness of the muscles. Persons with a history of high blood pressure or other cardiovascular problems should have a cardiology consultation first.