The Study Of Depressed Brain Vs. Normal Brain On MRI Diagnosis

A depressed brain affects a person's emotional, verbal, mental, physical, and behavioral nature. Different people face different symptoms; some might face sudden weight gain or loss. However, what a patient forgets about when suffering from schizophrenia is the link between depression and the brain.

The years of study and research has speculated the fine line between the depressed brains versus normal brains through the schizophrenia MRI diagnosis. One point to note is that an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) cannot depict schizophrenia, but helps read the paranoid patient's brain structure.

The core difference between a depressed and normal brain

A depressed mind cannot be ignored as ignorance can lead to severe health issues. Scientists have depicted the vital differences between the normal and depressed mind stages, including brain shrinkage, gray matter abnormalities, and an active amygdala.

Overactive Amygdala

Amygdala is a set of neurons that is responsible for controlling the emotional behavior of the person. When the amygdala is in its overactive mode, it causes anxiety, fear, embarrassing, and social anxiety disorders in a depressed person. Whereas, the normal brain has a balanced amygdala that makes a person feel comfortable, positive, and confident about himself.

Scientists speculate the schizophrenia MRI diagnosis of the depressed mind and found that Cortisol (a stress hormone) can be the reason for the overactive amygdala. Due to this, it has been seen that a schizophrenic patient shows extreme grief in a happy situation and laughs aloud in bad circumstances. The sudden lift in the emotional behavior of the patient is a sign of a paranoid disorder.

Gray Matter Abnormalities

Tissues made up of cell bodies, and nerve cells are known as the gray matter. The functions of gray matter in the brain involve muscle control and sensory perception, such as hearing, seeing, self-control, speech, emotions, and decision-making.

The gray matter is in the Cerebral cortex, which is the outer layer of the brain. People with schizophrenia have a thicker gray matter layer that blocks the brain's neurotransmitter, resulting in the message blocking.

The MRI of the depressed brain focuses explicitly on the thickness of the cerebral cortex. When the gray matter thickens in the brain, it is difficult for one neuron to carry the message to another neuron, which results in depression. Depression is a severe mental illness, due to which a person is unable to focus on the positive and motivational stuff.

Brain Shrinkage

Brain shrinkage is the abnormality of the loss of brain cells, which results in Alzheimer's disease. People with schizophrenia have a maximum loss of brain cells and have an enormous amount of Cortisol hormone (which is a stress hormone). When this abnormality exposed in the brain for a longer time, it results in brain shrinkage.

We are born with almost 100 billion brain cells, and each day around 85,000 cells die in the cerebral cortex. Various reasons cause brain cells to die, such as substance abuse, daily stress, or brain injury. The schizophrenia MRI diagnosis shows that the amount of dead brain cells is maximum in a depressed mind versus a normal mind.

Can the brain abnormalities in the depressed mind be reversed?

Antidepressants are the medication that is used to treat schizophrenia and Parkinson's disorder. The cost of schizophrenia medication is in a reasonable range so that every patient can afford them. With that, doctors advise the patient to do regular exercise or play any sport. If in some cases, a patient does not respond to schizophrenia medications, then brain surgery is another option.

It is vital to have an optimistic approach to life. Taking good care of your health is also crucial to lead a healthy and happy life. If you find your loved one in severe stress, talk to them, and consult a doctor. Schizophrenia is curable if proper treatment is provided on time.