“Severe depression and chronic stress can shrink the brain by blocking the formation of new nerve connections, a study has shown. The effect disrupts circuits associated with mental functioning and emotion. It could explain why people with major depressive disorder (MDD) suffer from concentration and memory loss, as well as blunted emotional responses. Several genes involved in building synapses, the connection points between brain cells, were suppressed in people with MDD, scientists found. This was thought to contribute to shrinkage of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is known to occur in MDD sufferers.” w/ photos
