How do our brains make us depressed from grief?

[Leegh]

Does anyone know what chemicals, etc. in the brain cause depression/grief from a break-up, divorce, or death of a loved one? For example, if there was a person who was NOT depressed, then their spouse wanted a divorce suddenly or there was a sudden death in the family, etc., what chemicals in the brain are changing to cause depression to an otherwise non-depressed person? I'm just curious as to how the brain works, and any comments about this subject are welcome.

[OwMyEyeball]

The simple answer to you question is that there is no simple answer.

 

There is no one chemical compound or group of chemical compounds that cause any specific type of behaviour, emotions or moods.

 

There are chemicals that are strongly associated with feelings of grief and mood states such as depression. Serotonin is one of them, though it is also associated with numerous other brain and bodily functions.

 

Here's a pretty good article that gives a bit more of an in depth explanation of the causes behind depression.

 

Mind if I ask why you're asking?

Edited October 30, 2014 by OwMyEyeball

[Leegh]

The simple answer to you question is that their is no simple answer.

 

There is no one chemical compound or group of chemical compounds that cause any specific type of behaviour, emotions or moods.

 

There are chemicals that are strongly associated with feelings of grief and mood states such as depression. Serotonin is one of them, though it is also associated with numerous other brain and bodily functions.

 

Here's a pretty good article that gives a bit more of an in depth explanation of the causes behind depression.

 

Mind if I ask why you're asking?

Hi OwMyEyeball, I'm just curious and I wanted to hear what you folks think about this subject.

[todreaminblue]

hormones can affect depression and depression can affect hormones......i dotn knwo abotu the chemical thing.....i know that soem medications they have given to me for clinical depression have exasperated my depression and seeing how everybody is unique in their make up (what makes them actually tick) they belive there is a correlation with genetic makeup ....being predisposed to depression through genes.....deb....

[Ronni_W]

Leegh,

Anti-depressants (of the SSRI-type) "ease depression by affecting naturally occurring chemical messengers (neurotransmitters), which are used to communicate between brain cells. SSRIs block the reabsorption (reuptake) of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Changing the balance of serotonin seems to help brain cells send and receive chemical messages, which in turn boosts mood."

 

So...in neuroscience, serotonin is currently held to be a major player.

 

For me, my question was, what causes the change in brain chemistry; I wasn't, at the time, curious about the actual chemicals involved. It seems that it's our mental-emotional processes that start the ball rolling...the meaning we give the specific situation, through our perceptions, thoughts, feelings, interpretations.

No I need to back-up. Our beliefs, expectations, world-view influence our perceptions, interpretations, thoughts and feelings...which 'control/regulate' the brain's 'circuitry', the neurotransmitter activity, etc.

 

I'm not really sure if this helps with your question. If you Google something like 'neuroscience and depression', that might give what you're looking for.