Basic Questions About Bipolar Depression

How does depression find all of the bad and or depressing memories in our brain and then replay them over and over again. Where are the positive memories and how does depression skip them? Does this mean that negative memories are stored in a certain part of the brain that depression can access- or does it mean that we have negative and positive neurotransmitters – and the negative neurotransmitters are the ones triggered? Maybe serotonin goes both ways!Maybe depression blocks out the chemicals in our brains that produce positive thoughts?I have endless questions about depression. It’s the same with mania. Where does a thought and feeling such as, “I’m a genius, ” come from?Why is it so easy to write depressing music when we’re depressed?Fascinating stuff. I have to approach depression with a spirit of fascination and discovery- because that is the only way we will find answers to these very complex questions.What do you think about when you think about bipolar depression? The PET scans below tell us something, but what? The more we know, the better the medications! And eventually, we may be able to control these brain changes on our own!Julie

Adelaide

July 11, 2009 at 6:24 am

WOW! Not only talking about depression with the whole spirit of discovery, but SEEING how it affects the whole brain. Now I have never seen a coloured MRI scan before – but it looks like there are not only blue parts, but there are black parts. I do know roughly how they are active or not so active depending on the colours.

I don’t know that neurotransmitters are positive or negative, at least on the medical side. They just ARE, like protons, neutrons and electrons.

Yes, negative memories are stored in a certain part of the brain. Can you tell me where the hippocampus and the amgyldia are in relation to that brain diagram? I know the latter is the little nutty part near my ears, which could maybe explain why I am so sensitive to sound and the way it tracks/triggers my feelings.

I would really love to see a manic brain in action. I have seen activations of Wernickes’ and Broca’s area in my World Book Encyclopaedia when they updated their article on the brain. And I think I have even seen a schizophrenic brain in the Yearbook of 1995-1996.

BipolarBible

July 11, 2009 at 1:50 pm

I’m sorry. I don’t mean to bother you but a few colors on a chart are not going to stop me from living my life. I don’t look forward to testing new medications for the medical industry for the rest of my life. Does that PET scan show a soul too?

Hi! I certainly understand what you’re saying. I guess I see it a little differently. These pictures show me that it’s an illness and not something wrong with me. I think the images help the general public become more respectful of depression and how debilitating it can be- when they see brain scans that show many people with the same changes in the brain when they get depressed, they have to take depression seriously! It helps me to know that I’m doing the best I can, despite having a brain that gets depressed! Our soul is what keeps us alive.

And don’t worry, it’s never a bother to read comments! Julie

Ariel

December 7, 2009 at 12:13 am

I have been bouncing between massive depression and obsessive manic racing thoughts for years. Now they seem to both be happening simultaneously. Any ideas on strategies to handle this?