On Identifying the Brain's Depression/Resilience Circuits
The majority of our brains components are devoted to the movement of our bodies; further, in our brain’s “richest” areas that are densely packed with nerve cells (the cortex and cerebellum), movement is a primary function.
The brain areas implicated in effort-driven rewards, including the nucleus accumbens (involved in reward), the striatum (involved in movement) and the prefrontal cortex (involved in anticipation, problem solving and planning) have also been implicated in unmedicated depressive patients.
Movement of the body in the form of exercise is the most effective way to increase the growth of new nerve cells--one of the proposed mechanisms of antidepressants.
Effective coping strategies reduce the harmful effects of stress hormones on the emotional circuits of the brain. Also, as effort-driven rewards diminish stress in our lives by enhancing a sense of control, they provide a buffer against the toxic effects of stress.
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