New research suggesting a link between severe stress and depression may offer the possibility for new health resources and treatment for those suffering from depression.
Dr. Tibor Hajzsan and researchers from Yale University have linked stress-related reductions of synapses in the hippocampal region of the brain with depression-like symptoms in animals, suggesting that it is possible in humans as well.
In the March 1 issue of Biological Psychiatry, the researchers reported that by restoring hippocampal synapses in rats during a six-day study, they were able to reduce symptoms similar to depression more quickly than in standard treatment with antidepressants.
Dr. Hajzsan said that while antidepressants “take weeks” to have a desired effect, rebuilding synapses can have the same effect “in as little as hours or even minutes.”
He added that the study could lead to new treatments for mental health disorders, supplanting current drugs that “remain ineffective in the majority of patients.”
Recent research from UCLA found that rhodiola, an herbal supplement, can help to normalize the bodys response to stress as a preventive measure.