The Science of Depression
Restoring your balance
I remember being a student in Dunedin back in the 90s and one of my flatmates didn’t get out of bed for 10 days laying in a dark room and struggling to explain to the rest of us why she didn’t want to get up. This was a young person who had previously been out and about going to class and socialising normally. Eventually we contacted her parents, and she left our flat that week. That was my first encounter with the black dog or depression.
In 2019 the Ministry of health stated that in New Zealand 1 in 5 aged 15 years and over are diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder. This is also set to increase. The USA has seen depression triple because of the global pandemic.
The Ministry of health define depression as a mental illness where you feel sad and miserable most of the time and your mood is persistently very low.
There are several theories about what causes depression such as a traumatic event in a person’s life however it is not uncommon for people who are depressed to be unsure as to what the cause is. The condition most likely results from a complex interplay of individual factors but one of the most widely accepted explanations considers abnormal brain chemistry as a key cause, but what exactly does this mean. Let me explain
Researchers have suggested that having too much or too little of certain substances in the brain could contribute to depression. Restoring this balance can help to alleviate the symptoms and bring about a better mood and state of mind. In fact, many of the newer anti depression medication work in this way.
Two of the main neurotransmitters that are thought to play a role in depression are serotonin and dopamine. Dopamine is neurotransmitter that creates positive feelings in the brain and works on the reward or reinforcement cycle that motivates us to continue doing a certain task or activity. Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine with vitamin D being an assistant vitamin. Foods’s high in tyrosine include bananas, salmon, tofu, white beans, pumpkin seeds, rice and spinach.
Serotonin is the happy chemical in the brain and assists to regulate your mood, sleep, eating and digestion. It is made from the amino acid tryptophan with vitamin B3 being an assistant vitamin. Tryptophan is found in most meats, in milk, cheese and dark chocolate. Plant based sources include pumpkin seeds, pineapple, chia seeds, soybeans, and oats. Recent research has shown that around 80% of serotonin is made in the gut so there really is some merit to that gut feeling but also it is hard to feel great when you have gut issues. Serotonin also works in tandem with melatonin the hormone responsible for sending us and keeping us asleep. They work antagonistically so when one goes up the other goes down. For some reason though in some people they end up the wrong way round. If this happens you might find yourself feeling down and sleeply most of the day. Sunshine and exercise also help produce and regulate serotonin in the brain.
Dietary deficiencies can contribute to poor production and regulation of these neurotransmitters. A whole food balanced diet with adequate protein (amino acids), regular exercise and sunshine can all help to assit to improve mood. A 24-hour urine test by a Naturopath or functional practioner can also measure your neurotransmitters.
If you or someone close to you is experiencing depression, please seek out a health practioner.
https://mentalhealth.org.nz/helplines
This link has all the current nz links which might be a good page for people to access.
Written by Megan Karena
Registered nurse and Qualified Naturopath
