Neurotherapy for Depression

Comprehensive Neurotherapy at BODY MIND & BRAIN in Gold Coast is the best “treatment” for Depression. But to be precise, Neurotherapy is an therapy that addresses the underlying cause and not just another passive treatment to temporarily suppress symptoms. Let me tell you why it’s the best option — in plain English.

(If you want to study the topic in more depth, have a look at the academic literature in the section SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES at the bottom of this page!)

Depression Treatment — What You Should Know

Before rushing into any treatment or therapy, it is crucial to collect some information first. The key questions we need answered are
• “What is the root cause of Depression?” and
• “What is the most sensible Depression therapy in Gold Coast?

Is Depression a "mental Illness"?

Depression is often labelled as a “mental illness”, a sickness of the Mind. This is highly stigmatising as it has a connotation of being “mental” and “mental asylum” (loony bin). What usually follows is endless medication, referrals to a “depression clinic”, neither of which can solve the underlying problem.

Is Depression a "chemical imbalance"?

The greatest coup in the history of pharma marketing is the creation of the myth of the chemical imbalance in the Brain. Alas, it is a big fat lie. For example, when healthy people are robbed of Serotonin, they do not get symptoms of Depression. Did you know that?

The Depression Epidemic

Population studies tell us that Depression is on the rise in industrialised countries with ever higher rates at earlier ages in every new generation. In contrast, Major Depression is largely unknown in so-called primitive societies with a more natural lifestyle [Image Lightbox].

Not enough Fights or Flights?

The stress response prepares Body, Mind and Brain to run away from predators or to fight with rivals. Neither behaviour is particularly helpful in our modern world. In our un-natural lifestyle, the natural stress response has become a toxic burden that depresses the spirit [Image Lightbox].

Just Snap Out Of It?

Depression is first and foremost a Functional Brain Disorder, not just a blue spell that you can snap out of. We know the Brain areas that are dys-regulated in Depression and we know which Brain networks display excessive coupling. So, it is not a “mental” illness but a Brain dysfunction!

Treating the symptoms in the Body

Whilst pills are popular, it is fair to summarise that—with rare exceptions—antidepressant drugs are useless or harmful. Studies have clearly shown: The best “Body therapy” for Depression is regular strenuous physical activity; in short: sport and exercise.

Treating the symptoms in the Mind

Various forms of Psychotherapy can be helpful in overcoming mild and moderate Depression, but tend to fail in severe cases. Even Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, has recognised the limits of talk therapy, the main tool in a psychologist’s “depression clinic”.

Targeting the root of the problem in the Brain

Lifestyle changes, exercise, Nutritional Therapy and Counselling alone cannot fill the need for a targeted rehabilitation of the depressed Brain. Neurotherapy normalises the faulty Brain activity which patients with Depression experience as complete absence of vitality, motivation and joy.

Advantages of Neurotherapy

• … it’s easy, everybody can do it
• … is amazingly powerful and effective
• … corrects the root cause
• … is a very natural, drug-free solution
• … has no serious risks or side effects
• … is fully evidence-based (And the sessions are even fun! )

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SELECTED SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES

DEPRESSION

Shapiro “Self-reported feelings in clinical depression: an analysis of published data” Br J Med Psychol. 198;56 (Pt 3):211-2
Koenigs et al “Distinct regions of prefrontal cortex mediate resistance and vulnerability to depression” J Neurosci 2008;28(47):12341-8
Bifulco et al “Adult attachment style I: Its relationship to clinical depression” Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2002;37(2):50-9
Siegle et al “Increased amygdala and decreased dorsolateral prefrontal BOLD responses in unipolar depression: related and independent features” Biol Psychiatry 2007;61(2):198-209
Schilbach et al “Meta-Analytically Informed Network Analysis of Resting State fMRI Reveals Hyperconnectivity in an Introspective Socio-Affective Network in Depression” PLoS One 2014; 9(4): e94973
Yu et al “Convergent and Divergent Functional Connectivity Patterns in Schizophrenia and Depression” PLoS One 2013; 8(7): e68250
Zeng et al “Identifying major depression using whole-brain functional connectivity: a multivariate pattern analysis” Brain 2012; 135(Pt 5):1498-507
Lemogne et al “Medial prefrontal cortex and the self in major depression” J Affect Disord 2012;136(1-2):e1-e11
Leuchter et al “Resting-State Quantitative Electroencephalography Reveals Increased Neurophysiologic Connectivity in Depression” PLoS One 2012; 7(2): e32508
Fang et al “Increased Cortical-Limbic Anatomical Network Connectivity in Major Depression Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging” PLoS One 2012; 7(9): e45972
Lord et al “Changes in Community Structure of Resting State Functional Connectivity in Unipolar Depression” PLoS One 2012; 7(8): e41282
Ma et al “Resting-State Functional Connectivity Bias of Middle Temporal Gyrus and Caudate with Altered Gray Matter Volume in Major Depression” PLoS One 2012; 7(9): e45263
Berman et al “Depression, rumination and the default network” Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2011; 6(5): 548–555
Veer et al “Whole Brain Resting-State Analysis Reveals Decreased Functional Connectivity in Major Depression” Front Syst Neurosci 2010; 4: 41
Versace et al “Right Orbitofrontal Corticolimbic and Left Corticocortical White Matter Connectivity Differentiate Bipolar and Unipolar Depression” Biol Psychiatry 2010; 68(6): 560–567
Sheline et al “The default mode network and self-referential processes in depression” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2009; 106(6): 1942–1947
Anand et al “Resting state corticolimbic connectivity abnormalities in unmedicated bipolar disorder and unipolar depression” Psychiatry Res 2009; 171(3): 189–198
Vasic et al ”Aberrant functional connectivity of dorsolateral prefrontal and cingulate networks in patients with major depression during working memory processing” Psychol Med 2009;39(6):977-87
Korb et al “Brain electrical source differences between depressed subjects and healthy controls” Brain Topogr 2008;21(2):138-46
Liu et al “Efficacy, quality of life, and acceptability outcomes of atypical antipsychotic augmentation treatment for treatment-resistant depression: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis” Syst Rev. 2014 Nov 5;3(1):133
Craig “How do you feel — now? The anterior insula and human awareness” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2009;10:59-70
Marek et al “Neural Circuitry and Signalling in Depression” Brain Circuitry and Signalling in Psychiatry: Basic Science and Clinical Implications, Kaplan, G.B. and Hammer, R.P. (editors). Amer. Psychiatric Pub. Co., Wash. D.C.
Williamson et al “The Human Illnesses: Neuropsychiatric Disorders and the Nature of the Human Brain” New York, NY 2011: Oxford University Press
Dunlop et al “How well do clinicians and patients agree on depression treatment outcomes? Implications for personalized medicine” Hum Psychopharmacol 2014 Oct 2
Casey et al “Psychosocial treatment approaches to difficult-to-treat depression” Med J Aust 2013;199(6 Suppl):S52-5
Fitzgerald et al “Non-pharmacological biological treatment approaches to difficult-to-treat depression” Med J Aust. 2013 Sep 16;199(6 Suppl):S48-51
Wang et al “The moderating effects of coping strategies on major depression in the general population” Can J Psychiatry 2002;47(2):167-73
Chan et al “Pharmacological treatment approaches to difficult-to-treat depression” Med J Aust 2013;199(6 Suppl):S44-7
Kirsch et al “The Emperor’s New Drugs: Medication and Placebo in the Treatment of Depression” Handb Exp Pharmacol 2014;225:291-303
Buchheim et al “Changes in prefrontal-limbic function in major depression after 15 months of long-term psychotherapy” PLoS One 2012;7(3):e33745
Beck “The evolution of the cognitive model of depression and its neurobiological correlates” Am J Psychiatry 2008;165(8):969-77
Carek et al “Exercise for the treatment of depression and anxiety” Int J Psychiatry Med 2011;41(1):15-28 DeMoor et al “Regular exercise, anxiety, depression and personality: a population-based study” PrevMed 2006;42(4):273-9
Knott et al “EEG power, frequency, asymmetry and coherence in male depression” Psychiatry Res 2001;106(2):123-40
Linden et al “Real-time self-regulation of emotion networks in patients with depression” PLoS One 2012;7(6):e38115
Baehr et al “Clinical use of an alpha asymmetry neurofeedback protocol in the treatment of mood disorders: Follow-up study one to five years post therapy” J Neuroth 2001;4(4):11-18
Hammond “Neurofeedback treatment of depression and anxiety” J Adult Develop 2005;12(2⁄3):131-137
Dias et al “A new neurofeedback protocol for depression” Span J Psychol 2011;14(1):374-84

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