Depression Neuroscience

Articles tagged with "Depression Neuroscience".

BDNF in Depression: How Brain Growth Factor Affects Mental Health

Tags: BDNF, Depression Neuroscience, Neuroplasticity, Brain Health

November 23, 2025

How does BDNF affect depression and brain health?

BDNF is a crucial growth factor for brain cells that’s typically reduced in depression, contributing to brain shrinkage and impaired brain plasticity. Restoring BDNF levels through treatment is essential for recovery. Key roles:

Brain cell growth - promotes neuron survival, growth, and connections
Reduced in depression - lower levels contribute to brain volume loss
Neuroplasticity - essential for brain’s ability to change and adapt
Recovery marker - restoring BDNF levels helps depression recovery and prevents relapse

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) acts as a crucial “growth factor” for brain cells, promoting neuron survival, growth, and connectivity. In depression, BDNF levels are typically reduced, contributing to brain volume loss and impaired neuroplasticity. Restoring healthy BDNF levels through treatment may be essential for depression recovery and preventing relapse.

Brain Network Changes in Depression: Frontostriatal Salience Network Expansion

Tags: Depression Neuroscience, Brain Networks, Salience Network, Neuroimaging

November 23, 2025

How does depression change brain networks?

Depression expands the brain’s salience network in regions that control attention and emotions, fundamentally reorganizing brain connectivity. This explains why people with depression struggle with focus, decisions, and emotional control. Key changes:

Network expansion - salience network grows abnormally large
Attention problems - affects brain regions controlling focus
Emotional processing - disrupts areas managing emotions
Decision-making difficulties - impacts regions involved in choices

Depression significantly expands the brain’s salience network, particularly in frontostriatal regions that control attention and emotional processing. This network expansion represents a fundamental reorganization of brain connectivity that may explain why people with depression struggle with attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation.