Repeated depression physically atrophies the hippocampus and neurons

Evidence

On this basis, it has been possible to identify signs of hippocampic atrophy associated with hyperactivity of the corticotropic axis in recurrent depressions, as well as in post-traumatic stress disorder. These claims have led to the hypothesis of the neurotoxicity of anxious and depressive episodes. Moreover, the neurological study of cerebral structures has revealed signs of neuronal, axonal, and dendritic atrophy, with diminution of synaptic connections and of nervous tissue. — Catherine Malabou, What Should We Do with Our Brain?, 159

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A total collapse of everyday meaning echoes depression and neurological disorders — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café: Freedom,…, 238