So much research has been made over the last few years on depression that it seems to be the disease of the century. Many questions have been risen about what makes us sad, how to overcome PTSD and why more and more kids and adolescents are suffering from mental health issues, but scientists made a new discovery on this field that finally sheds some light on why this is happening.
There are still a lot of questions that remain unanswered on what can we do to prevent depression or what makes a person more depressed than other. One thing is clear though, we still have a lot to learn about these issues.
Scientists have discovered that through spectroscopy and magnetic imaging a chemical present in the brain is allowing the transmission of messages between nerve cells. This chemical, named GABA is present in the hippocampus and is responsible for memory and how traumatic thoughts are transmitted throughout the brain. Meaning that the concentration of this chemical can give us the answer on why some people are prone to depression.
The discovery is still at an experimental stage, but GABA could lead to future treatments for anxiety, schizophrenia and other types of mental illnesses.
Michael Anderson, the scientist who did the breakthrough discovery said that: “Our ability to control our thoughts is fundamental to our well-being. When this capacity breaks down, it causes some of the most debilitating symptoms of psychiatric diseases: intrusive memories, images, hallucinations, ruminations, and pathological and persistent worries. These are all key symptoms of mental illnesses such as PTSD, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety.”.
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