Joining the dots: neurobiological links in a functional analysis of depression
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Depression is one of the major contributors to the Total Disease Burden and afflicts about one-sixth of Western populations. One of the most effective treatments for depression focuses upon analysis of causal chains in overt behaviour, but does not include brain-...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2010-12-01
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| Series: | Behavioral and Brain Functions |
| Online Access: | http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/6/1/73 |
| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Depression is one of the major contributors to the Total Disease Burden and afflicts about one-sixth of Western populations. One of the most effective treatments for depression focuses upon analysis of causal chains in overt behaviour, but does not include brain-related phenomena as steps along these causal pathways. Recent research findings regarding the neurobiological concomitants of depressive behaviour suggest a sequence of structural and functional alterations to the brain which may also produce a beneficial outcome for the depressed individual--that of adaptive withdrawal from uncontrollable aversive stressors. Linking these brain-based explanations to models of observable contingencies for depressive behaviour can provide a comprehensive explanation of how depressive behaviour occurs and why it persists in many patients.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1744-9081 |