Imaging Tools

Researches have been on for quite some time to find out whether the existing imaging tools like Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI ) could be used to detect depression. The findings have been highly encouraging. The imaging is basically done on the brain, especially in places that are thought to be associated with mood related functions. When the brains of middle-aged patients suffering from bipolar disorder were scanned, it revealed unusual bright spots in large numbers in areas associated with mood related functions.

It has also been detected that the unusual production of cortisol in patients suffering from depression damages the hippocampus in the brain. Hippocampus is associated with memory and emotion. The destruction of the cells in hippocampus will shrink it and through MRI scanning the difference in volume can be detected.

Functional imaging
Patient's suffering from depression has unusual serotonin activity. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in sleep, depression and memory. The concentrations of serotonin can be examined by functional imaging and those areas where serotonin activities are unusual can be detected.