Stress and Depression

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For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources as well as the “Stress, Depression, and the Immune Response” section of the “Stress, the Immune System, Chronic Illness, and Your Body” handout. Then reflect on the different ways stress, the stress response, and depression are connected. Finally, consider what part depression plays in the immune and inflammatory response systems.

With these thoughts in mind: Post by Day 4 an explanation of the relationships between stress and depression. Then describe two factors of stress response that influence the development of depression and explain how. Finally, explain the influence of depression on the immune and inflammatory response systems. Be specific.

Readings Course Text: Baum, A., Lorduy, K., & Jenkins, F. J. (2011). The molecular biology of stress: Cellular defense, immune response, and aging. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (pp. 87–100). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Course Text: Bekkouche, N. S., Holmes, S., Whittaker, K. S., & Krantz, D. S. (2011). Stress and the heart: Psychosocial stress and coronary heart disease. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (p. 394). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Read the section titled “Psychosocial Traits Associated With Chronic Stress and CAD”
Course Text: Gatchel, R. J., Howard, K., & Haggard, R. (2011). Pain: The biopsychosocial perspective. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (pp. 461–474). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Course Text: Grant, K. E., McMahon, S. D., Duffy, S. N., Taylor, J. J., & Compas, B. E. (2011). Stressors and mental health problems in childhood and adolescence. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (pp. 359–372). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.  Course Text: Gutman, D. A., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2011). Stress and depression. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (pp. 345–357). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Course Text: Perez, G. K., Cruess, D. G., & Kalichman, S. C. (2011). Effects of stress on health in HIV/AIDS. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (p. 451). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Read the section titled “Depression Among PLWHA” Article: National Institute of Mental Health. (2008, July 29). Errant stress/immune indicators detected in depression-prone women’s sweat. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/errant-stress-immune-indicators-detected-in-depression-prone-womens-sweat.shtml/ Article: Wilson, D. R., & Warise, L. (2008). Cytokines and their role in depression. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 44(4), 285–289.
Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Academic Search Complete database. Handout: Laureate Education, Inc. (2012). Stress, the immune system, chronic illness, and your body. Unpublished document.  Read the sections titled “Stress, Depression, and the Immune Response,” “Chronic Illness,” and “Autoimmune Disease.”  Web Resource: American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. (n.d.). List of autoimmune and autoimmune-related diseases. Retrieved from http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/list-of-diseases/
Website: National Institutes of Health. (2012). Health information. Retrieved from http://www.health.nih.gov/ Web Resource: National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Health topics: Depression. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml   Media Podcast: Hernan, S. (Producer). (2010, November 1). Stress, inflammation, and depression [Audio podcast]. Neuroscene. Retrieved from http://neuroscene.com/?p=225
Used with permission of NeuroScene. All rights reserved.  
Transcript Podcast: National Institute of Mental Health. (Producer). (2010, November 23). NIMH investigators talk about new evidence that suggests exercise and positive environment can help hedge against stress related depression [Audio podcast]. NIH Radio. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/media/2010/positive-measures-to-fight-depression.shtml