5 replies to this topic

[Anewlife]

Apart from meditation, SSRIs and Exercise increase neuroregeneration in the hippocampus, why only this area or is this the only area they can test for?

[AscendantMind]

Because the hippocampus is very important for memory formation, and most studies on cognitive enhancement focus on alleviating Alzheimer's or dementia by improving activity in this area.

[Tom_]

That statement isn't true. Psychotropic drugs, exercise and the like increase and suppress activity in many parts of the brain - dependant on dose, pathology etc.

The hippocampus is of major interest when it comes to the treatment of major depression, schizophrenia, alzheimers and a host of other neuropsychiatric disorders and so effects of various treatments (for example SSRI's & exercise) on the hippocampus are more often researched and reported than SOME other areas of the brain.

It is however NOT the only area focused on by research in psychiatry or neurology by any means. The entire limbic system and frontal cortex are of major interest in psychiatry (among other areas) and the ENTIRE nervous system is studied within neurology.

Examples of other areas with equal interest in psychiatry are:
Nucleus accumbens
Amygdala
anterior cingulate cortex/gyrus
Orbitofrontal cortex
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Basal ganglia
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Then you also have to take into account that it is only parts of the aformentioned brain areas that actually play a part in psychiatric disorder. For example, while the anterior cingulate cortex is implicated in executive function and most well known for being a major part of OCD it also has some control over blood pressure and heart rate.

Major depression is linked to endocrine, immunological and a host of other systems but research has shown that every single one of the above mentioned brain areas play some role in its pathophysiology.

[Raptor87]

Just throwing it out there.... The amygdala is responsible for memory formation in the hippocampus.

[Tom_]

It is not! Its involved in memory consolidation and development of long term memory but it isn't required. Memory can still be formed without the amygdala but the amygdala does have a modulating effect and is of special significance in trauma and fear conditioning.

[Raptor87]

It is not! Its involved in memory consolidation and development of long term memory but it isn't required. Memory can still be formed without the amygdala but the amygdala does have a modulating effect and is of special significance in trauma and fear conditioning.

Yes, that's what I meant! Depression, neurosis, phobia fear and trauma is interesting in that aspect.