Brain Networks Implicated in Anxiety

The human brain is still a mystery in many ways, with much of our brain function difficult or impossible to study under most conditions.  What causes worsening moods and why do some people struggle with anxiety and depression while others do not? A recent study at UC San Francisco took advantage of work being done for patients with epilepsy who …

Biological Basis of Depression

A recent review article in the American Journal of Psychiatry examines data from many functional neuroimaging studies in order to define more clearly the biological basis of depression. Abnormalities in two sets of neural circuits seem to be the most consistent findings in people with depression: Serotonin anxiety and distress circuits that connect the amygdala and several locations in the medial …

Amygdala Differences in Depressed Individuals

The best way to tackle an illness is to start treatment as early as possible. In the case of depression, recent studies has revealed that there may be a way to identify depression symptoms in children. An fMRI study was conducted on a group of preschool students to see if there were any differences in the brains of depressed and …