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There are links between brain injury and depression.This statement seems painfully obvious. Of course there are links between brain injury and depression. It is one of the most widespread challenges facing brain injury survivors. Up to 77% of survivors are intimately acquainted with the crushing despair, the feeling all happiness has been sucked from the world as their lackluster days drag on endlessly. Is it any wonder?
Brain injury capriciously robs survivors of intellect, social skills, physical abilities, and so much more, haphazardly taking a bit of this, a bit of that. Every ‘given’ is thrown into question, always and forever loses all meaning. Lifelong relationships crumble, your emotions are no longer your own – you’re not you anymore. Every survivor I’ve ever met has struggled with depression. We're mourning the loss of ourselves - how could we not?
There are links between brain injury and depression – tell me something I don't know already!
Brain injury can cure depression.
I did a double take when I read it, but it's true. Studying Vietnam vets and other TBI survivors, Neuroscientist Michael Koenigs and his colleagues have discovered that when the part of the brain right behind the eyes (the ventromedial prefrontal cortex – VMPC) is damaged or destroyed it actually “cures” depression!
In one extreme example mentioned in the study discusses a woman who had cured herself with a gunshot to the head. Through some miracle, her attempt at suicide not only failed, but also managed to neatly destroy her VMPC, after which all depression vanished. According to her neropsychologist, “she never shows distress, worry, or anger.”
At first glance this blissful state of perpetual calm, sounds quite nice. After all, brain injury damaged a part of my brain proven to cause depression, I must admit, I felt a bit like I’d gotten the short end of the brain injury stick. Until I read the fine print….
That’s right, there’s always a hidden cost. Don’t go signing yourself up for a 1950s-style lobotomy too quickly. Though taking out the VMPC does help depression, there are serious social and cognitive deficits. Survivors frequently will lack empathy, compassion can’t interpret nonverbal cues, see connections, and the list just keeps going.
This is not to say that one type of injury is better or worse than another - all deficits are hard – brain injury is not for the weak of heart. Over the years I have become accustomed to, learned to regulate, and even come to see some positives in these challenges. Trade mine for a new set? No thanks.
Heightened emotions may have their drawbacks, and I am sure there are those who would be happy to waive empathy and insight goodbye along with depression, but not me. I was, thankfully able to balance my brain chemistry out, and bid the days of clinical depression farewell years ago. Though I have moments I am grateful that I’m able to experience the entire range of human emotions – the joy wouldn’t be so sweet if I didn’t know the salty taste of tears…
It is true, everything comes at a cost, but no problem comes without bearing gifts. It is our duty to uncover them….
Neuroskeptic: No Ventral Prefrontal Cortex? No Problem!
Traumatic Brain Injury and Depression http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:n04aY9dA_28J:www.freddhaas.com/CM/Articles/
Deficits in Social Knowledge Following Damage to Ventromedical Prefrontal Cortex http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/17/1/66
CNS Spectrums: Depression, Anhedonia, and Psychomotor Symptoms: The Role of Dopaminergic Neurcircuitry
Hi Dorothy
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
Thanks so much for telling us about it
Take care
Belinda
Great & well reasoned blog!I love your positive outlook in the face of adversity.I wonder why you sometimes don't do what you know would help-you've given us several examples: not crying on J's shoulder, not getting enough sleep, not eating enough.
ReplyDeleteI just read a book by another surviver who likes who she is better than who she was & she is very productive, even got married & had kids as well as a career, of course she's 20 years from her accident,but she still can't walk well or use her right hand.
Hang in there.
i myself suffered from depression for nearly 3yrs after my tbi. i was robbed of all my physical abilities as i'm now quad n mute, that was especially tough because i was a 6'8'' college athlete.
ReplyDeleteman it was tough, however my cognition n memory remained so i eventually was able to battle thru my depression. now i actually go around giving presentations in tbi conferences at big hospitals n the region, trying to spread hope to those n short supply. it is very rewarding, i especially like talking to veterans who return from war with tbi.
in my many talks with survivors i have seen evidence of the tbi cures depression phenomenon. it is quite a remarkable thing to see. ty for your always interesting blogs my friend dorothy.