Mintun et al.
- Created by: Laurenmurphy2901
- Created on: 06-09-17 10:22
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- Mintun
- Background
- Mintun studied neurons in the hippocampal region o the brain, which cn interpret whether an experience is good or bad, or whether a person is angry, happy or sad at you from their facial expression. It is also part of the limbic system; the limbic system controls arousal, emotion and motivation, influencing the nervous system and the release of hormones.
- Aim
- To investigate whether people with the symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) show decreased binding of the serotonin to receptors, in the Hipocampal region of the brain.
- Sample
- 46 patients with Major Depressive Disorder, not on anti-depressants, and 29 healthy control patients.
- Method
- Controlled quasi-experiment with an independent measures design
- Procedure
- A PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan was conducted, to measure the levels of serotonin binding to the receptors of neurons in the hippocampal region of the brain.
- Results
- Depressed patients showed a 29% reduction in levels of serotonin binding with receptors, compared to controls (p=0.004). Depressed patients had fewer serotonin receptors in the Hippocampus.
- Conclusions
- It is likley decreased seretonin recptor binding is responsible for inability to regulate moods in depressed patients, as this would result in less activation of serotonin pathways.
- Sheline, researching along Mintun, found that the volume of the hippocampus in depressed patients was smaller; this suggests that the volume loss causes receptors to become damaged meaning the serotonin cannot bind with them. Therefore, serotonin levels in depressed patients may not be abnormal; depression may be caused by hippocampal damage.
- It is likley decreased seretonin recptor binding is responsible for inability to regulate moods in depressed patients, as this would result in less activation of serotonin pathways.
- Background
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