Here’s the current research on why depression is linked with so many chronic diseases:
#1 Lack of self-care
One theory suggests that compromised self-care contributes to “lifestyle diseases” like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. In addition to poorer diet and lack of exercise, people with depression are less likely to keep regular medical appointments and take medication as directed. Other proposed explanations: the side effects of medications prescribed for physical disorders mimic depression, or dealing with a debilitating physical burden takes a toll on mood.
#2 Insulin effect
There’s growing evidence that some depressions may relate to how well or poorly the body metabolizes blood sugar. For example, a mouse study published in the journal PNAS in 2015, found a link between insulin resistance and depressive behavior. (Insulin resistance—when cells cannot properly absorb glucose from the blood—is a factor in diabetes.) Studies of people utilizing type 2 medication found that the more their insulin sensitivity increased, the greater their relief from depressive symptoms.
#3 Immunity angle
Some people with depression have been found to have higher levels of cytokines, which are cell-signaling proteins in the immune system. Injury, infection, perceived threats, and chronic stress all stimulate production of cytokines as part of the body’s “fight-or-flight” response. That inflammatory response causes wear and tear on the brain, the nervous system and the organs, and thus may be a common source for twinned physical and psychological disorders.
#4 Pain pathways
The persistent pain typical of many autoimmune disorders may be a compounding factor in comorbid depressions. Yves De Koninck, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Université Laval in Quebec, explains that the neural pathways of chronic pain and depression are interrelated in the brain. His research focuses on the loss of protein in nerve cells that normally inhibit pain. “Changes in the mid-brain occur after many years of pain,” he says.
#5 Dopamine disruption
The neurotransmitter dopamine (a.k.a. the pleasure hormone) plays a role in movement, memory, cognition and focus, sleep, and reward pathways. Low dopamine has been associated with depression that is characterized by lack of motivation, sluggishness, and an inability to feel pleasure. Oddly enough, however, excessive dopamine also links to a number of psychiatric disorders, including depression and addiction.
Read the full article: “Depression: Pain in Body, Pain in Mind”
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