Chemotherapy drug may increase vulnerability to depression
Chemotherapy drug may increase vulnerability to depression
This article published on sciencedaily.com informs readers about a research study conducted by Kings College London which looks at the effects of chemotherapy on patients’ vulnerability to depression. It explains that depression is a major side effect of cancer, especially brain cancer. A recent study showed that of the 90 percent of brain cancer patients who self reported symptoms of depression, only 20 percent meet criteria for a diagnosis. It is “difficult [for researchers] to determine” in this case whether or not depression is more a side effect of the chemotherapy treatment or a result of the emotional stress of a cancer diagnosis. Chemotherapy works by preventing cells in the body to divide, meaning that new cells,including brain cells, can’t grow, killing cancer cells which divide and grow rapidly. Recent research, including this study by Kings College looks at how this treatment could potentially disrupt other processes in the brain. To experiment, researchers administered the chemotherapy treatment to mice and found “a significant reduction in growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus” and also found that the drugs impact on the brain cells had a direct relationship with a greater increase of stress hormones. Additionally researchers noticed behavioral changes related to depression in the mice after receiving treatment, including lack of pleasure seeking.
This study highlights a very important, but overlooked aspect of cancer treatment. Often I think that chemotherapy and other cancer treatments are done at the expense of the individual. I’m happy to know that studies like this exist because it means that even though their depression may be overlooked it is not unnoticed. This study tells us a lot about what is actually happening in the brain in this situation, which can not only give researchers and developers a better understanding of how this treatment works but can also provide relief to the individual. I think that in general just paying attention to patients mental health should be one of the most important parts of any treatment plan. Paying attention to patient's total health is key to success treating one problem at expense of another is problematic. Having an understanding of how this treatment can affect mental health can help doctors integrate mental health into treatment plans as well as take further measures to help patients achieve overall well being.
I also think it is good that chemotherapy treatment is being looked at more closely in relation to patients' mental health and well-being. I have heard of people refusing chemotherapy because they did not want to experience all of the nasty side effects it has. That must be a very hard call as a cancer patient because you are basically choosing between your physical health or your mental health and well-being. I think alot of survivors will also appreciate this study and the effort that is being made to help with the mental health of those with cancer. Going through cancer is such a stressful event in life to begin with so I think alot of attention and research should be given towards the patients' mental health.
ReplyDeleteWhile this is good research, I am not surprised that 90% of patients experience symptoms of depression. Cancer outright sucks and chemotherapy literally takes everything out of you so the feeling of being depressed is situation appropriate. The ventrolateral prefrontal cortex is responsible for selecting context appropriate responses. It could be a side effect but I believe it has more to do with emotional stress from a possibly deadly diagnosis. People that develop clinical depression may have to deal with the after effects of being a cancer survivor. They may have decreased lateral prefrontal cortex activity due to too much attention being kept on the original stimulus (chemotherapy treatments). Hopefully they eventually find a cancer treatment that doesn't take the life out of everyone!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this blog post and the prior comments I found that I agree with Kee Rose in that I am not at all surprised that the rates of depression are that high in cancer patients. I however do not think that chemotherapy is the cause of this depression, as someone who has seen the effects of cancer and chemotherapy first hand with my own fathers battle I believe that the cancer itself and receiving sometimes such a grime diagnosis and the effect it has on the family as whole plays more of a role in the possible depression. I do however note that chemotherapy can lead to depression like symptoms because it is so harsh on the body, for instance there are times where my dad could not get out of bed for days for some this would be a depressive symptom however this was more due to the lack of strength due to the treatments. long story short the chemotherapy was more of a physical thing than a mental.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I wanted to respond to what you has said,Sarah about how being treated for cancer is basically "choosing between your physical health or your mental health and well-being" because I don't believe that it should be. I think that a lot of people see it as being that way but the truth is that people respond better to cancer treatment when they feel better mentally so it should never be a choice for these patients, mental health should be an equal priority as physical health because they go hand in hand in almost all cases. I also wanted to respond to your comment, Destiny. You said that you believe that depression in cancer patients has more to do with the negative feelings cognitively and less to do with the actual chemo therapy treatment which is what I would have thought too until reading this article. This article links the depression directly to structures in the brain which are altered as a result of the chemotherapy treatment.
ReplyDeleteI am also not surprised that chemotherapy is linked with depression. I found it interesting that the chemo actually effects different parts of the brain that makes depression more likely, I assumed the depression stemmed from the fact that their overall health is declining or they think they are going to die. Hopefully, they find new cures that do not harm people's mental health and bodies so much.
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