Glutamatergic Stress Response Dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder: Consideration of Stress Exposures Pubblico

Abstract

Stress is a major factor in a variety of health outcomes, including Major Depressive Disorder. Although stress is seen to instigate the onset, severity, and duration of depression, its relationship with neurobiological abnormalities remains uncertain. Animal stress models show that response to chronic stress leads to structural damages in mPFC induced by glutamatergic neurotoxicity. This same stress-induced glutamatergic dysfunction may be responsible for the microdamage consistently seen in the mPFC of depressed patients. The goal of the present study is to determine the impact of previous stress exposure on mPFC glutamatergic stress response between a control and depressed group using MRS techniques and the comparison of two stress exposure categories: (1) perception of recent chronic stress and (2) cumulative life course stress. The findings indicate glutamatergic stress response to be associated with perceived stress only in the control group. This suggests a glutamatergic dysfunction in the depressed mPFC that fails to engage in adaptive stress response shown in the healthy mPFC. The demonstration of glutamate abnormality in the depressed mPFC provides insight to glutamate’s role in the pathophysiology of depression and can allow advancements in non-monoamine based pharmaceutical treatment.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………...1

Hypotheses…………………………………………..…………………….…………….....8

Method……………………………………………………………………………………….9

Participants...……………………………………………………………………………….9

Procedure………...…………………………………………….………………..………..10

Measures…………………………………………………………………………….…..…10

Analyses…..…………………………………………………………………………….....13

Results…………....………………………………………………………………………...14

Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………..16

References…………………………………………………………………………………..22

Table and Figures..………………………………………………………………………..33 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Psychology
Subfield / Discipline	Clinical Psychology
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Clinical
Parola chiave	Glutamate Stress Major Depression Medial Prefrontal Cortex Perceived Stress Life Course Stress
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Treadway, Michael, Emory University
Committee Members	Sanchez, Mar, Emory University Dilks, Daniel D., Emory University

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