Mood and Anxiety Disorders

What is Persistent Depressive Disorder?

Depressed mood most of the day, for more days than not for the past two years.

What is Major Depressive Disorder?

Persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities causing significant impairment in daily life.

What areas of the brain have increased activity for depressed individuals?

Increased activity in PFC during cognitive tasks, Increased activity in the amygdala during emotional tasks

What areas of the brain have decreased activity for depressed individuals?

Hippocampus, Ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens), Anterior cingulate cortex

Reward positivity

how your brain responds to some kind of win/gain

What is decreased reward positivity associated with?

Impaired mood reactivity, decreased nucleus accumbens activity, and anhedonia

What neurochemicals are dysregulated in depression?

Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine, GABA, Glutamate, and Acetylcholine

Monoamine Theory of Depression

Underactivity of serotonin and norepinephrine

Neuroplasticity Theory of Depression

Depression results from a decrease in neuroplastic processes in amygdala, PFC, and hippocampus

What are neurotrophins?

Proteins that help us create new brain cells and keep them healthy

What is adult neurogenesis?

Creation of new neurons

What is bipolar disorder?

A brain disorder that affects a persons mood, energy and their ability to function

Bipolar I has:

manic and depressive episodes

Bipolar II has:

hypomanic and depressive episodes

What are SSRIs?

Medications that block the reuptake of serotonin

What are SNRIs?

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

What are tricyclics?

Medications that prevent reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine

What’s the difference between SNRIs and tricyclics?

Their chemical structure

What are MAOI’s?

Medications that block breakdown of monoamines inside terminal

What is Wellbutrin?

Medication that blocks reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, but not serotonin

What is St. John’s Wort?

Medication that enhances serotonin transmission and effects glutamate receptors

What is ketamine?

Antagonist for NMDA receptor, used for treatment resistant depression

What drug is most effective for mania?

Lithium

What is carbamazepine?

Medication that makes neurons less excitable by stabilizing sodium channels

What is anxiety?

A normal response to stress and can be beneficial: helps us prepare for situation and pay attention

What is an anxiety disorder?

An excess of fear or anxiety

How are the amygdala and the vPFC effected in anxiety disorders?

Decreases ability of vPFC to inhibit amygdala activation, leaving person fearful longer

What brain activity is increased with an anxiety disorder?

Insula

What brain activity is decreased with an anxiety disorder?

cingulate cortex

What are benzodiazepines?

An agonist that targets GABA-A receptors in the amygdala

Twin studies reveal what about mood disorders?

Genetic risk seems to involve the ability to regulate mood generally, but not a specific disorder.

What is the diathesis stress model?

The interaction between genetic predisposition (s/l) and environmental effects can lead to the development of anxiety