Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Natural Sciences
First Advisor
Beulig, Alfred
Keywords
Major Depressive Disorder, Biology, Dysfunction, Chemistry
Area of Concentration
Natural Sciences
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is often characterized by disrupted cognitive control, a psychological symptom which can be traced to metabolic dysfunction in specific brain regions. Such biological disturbances come in the form of increased and decreased metabolism in regions which exhibit anticorrelated activity. These alterations are often seen in conjunction with regional volumetric reductions, which may be a result of neuronal and glial degradation. This thesis provides a review of the current research in each of these areas, offering a glimpse at the patterns of metabolic and volumetric dysfunction seen in major depressive disorder, as well as an array of probable causes of this dysfunction. Increasingly, major depressive disorder is seen as a syndrome, encompassing a variety of symptoms and causative pathways, and this review notes these differences among subject groups.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Demi, "PATTERNS OF DYSFUNCTION IN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER" (2015). Theses & ETDs. 4993.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/4993