Researchers from the South Korean Institute of Basic Sciences found that women with depression had lower concentrations of taurine in their hippocampus. This amino acid is important for the normal development and functioning of neurons. results published In the journal Biological Psychiatry (Bio Psych).
According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Some studies have shown that women get this disease twice as often as men.
A South Korean team suggested that decreased taurine levels in the region of the brain known as the hippocampus may also be associated with depression. To find out whether this is true, scientists conducted a study involving 41 Korean women with depression and 43 Korean women without the disorder. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. In this procedure, researchers measured taurine concentrations in three different regions of the brain (hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, and occipital cortex). Taurine is an amino acid that ensures the normal development and functioning of neurons.
The results showed that the concentration of this substance in the hippocampus of participants with major depressive disorder was lower than in healthy volunteers. There was no significant difference in taurine levels in the other two brain regions of both subject groups.
The authors of the study hope that in the future, assessing taurine concentrations can be used as a new method of diagnosing depression without consulting a specialist. The researchers plan to expand the study to include men and other ethnic groups.
Previously recognizedthat psychological trauma in childhood worsens an adult’s physical health.