Major Depressive Disorder Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Major Depressive Disorder - Case Study Example She feels worse in the mornings, guilty and hopeless, with suicidal ideation and has developed increased psychomotor retardation. She thinks she is ruining her family, who would be better off without her. These signs and symptoms indicate that she has Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as defined by criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). The criteria state that more than one important aspect of MDD, such as sustained depressed mood, anergia, anhedonia, disturbed appetite and sleep, psychomotor retardation, suicidal thought, negative thought, hopelessness, or poor concentration, should be present for no less than two weeks and not related to somatic effects, caused by substance abuse or adverse reactions to medication. Depression is the most widespread disorder in relation to mental health. According to World Health Organisation [WHO] (2001), people suffering from depression account for 5 to 10% of the population. The 'Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health' survey (AIHW, 2007) reported that it accounted for 33.7% of mental health disorders managed by general practitioners in Australia in 2003-04. Most studies show that the development of MDD has a higher incidence in females than males in their life time, being found in females twice as much as in males (APA, 2000; Varcarolis, 2006, pp.326-327; WHO, 2001). Typically, MDD is more likely to occur in females aged between 20 and 40 years old (WHO, 2001). Causes assumed include responsibilities of multi-tasking, for instance, domestic and office work, wife and parenting roles, or the menses might contribute to the prominent prevalence of depression in females (APA, 2000; WHO, 2001). However, race, earnings, education or matrimony are not related to the frequency of MDD (APA, 2000; Varcarolis, 2002. p.454; WHO, 2001). 2. Pathophysiology of depression: Depression arises due to multifactorial causes, including biochemical, cognitive, hereditary and environmental factors, and sleep abnormalities (Varcarolis, 2002, pp.456-460; Varcarolis, 2006, pp.330-333). In Isabel's case, a reasonable assumption would be that the major pathophysiologic causes might be biochemical, cognitive factors, and sleep abnormality. There are many studies to indicate that biochemical imbalance can cause depressive disorders, in relation to certain neurotransmitters, mainly serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine in the brain, which are known to play a role in the regulation of mood (Varcarolis, 2002, pp.456-460; Varcarolis, 2006, pp.330-333). The dysfunctional regulation of serotonin is related to decreased sex drive, appetite and sleep disturbance, as serotonin is particularly important in controlling sleep, appetite and sexual drive (Varcarolis, 2006, p.331; Zarate & Charney, 2003, pp.464-468). Reduction of noradrenaline can lead to loss of energy, interest, concentration, and decreased sexual drive (Varcarolis et al., 2006, pp.460-464; Zarate & Charney, 2003, p.464-468). The depletion of dopamine can be associated with loss of motivation and interest, because it contributes to the stimulation of the system of circuits of motivational behaviour in

Immunization and Antibody Production Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Immunization and Antibody Production - Assignment Example In encountering the antigen, the body can only do so through natural situations or artificial. In the natural situation, we consider attack by antigen of specific ailment such as small pox. The antigen will cause clinical symptoms and the body will react by producing antibodies against the small pox. In the artificial antibody production, not the virulent form of the antigen are used but those that are killed or attenuated and have no ability to caused clinical symptoms unless one is immune compromised (Goldsby 2005). Antibody Formation There is no difference whether antibodies are naturally produced or artificially produced, there will only be difference in the antigen part, this is because that antigen of the natural simulation are real and do cause clinical symptoms. Those of artificial stimulation are not able to cause clinical symptoms since they do nit have the virulent parts but structurally resembles the real antigen. Given the fact that antibodies are simply modified globuli n, their formation is closely relate to that which involves globulin formation (Goldsby 2005). The first step involves the antigen being held at the site where antibodies are being produced and synthesis of the antibody will be initiated around the site where antigen molecule is found.... In the contrary, if the forces between the ends of the chain and that to the antigen are weak, it will necessitate the release of one end of the antibody from the antigen since it will dissociate (Lydyard and Whelan 2011). The dissociation of one end of the chain from the antigen will make the centre of the chain to coil forming a more stable configuration that will results in to a complete antibody. The eventual process is the dissociation of the antibody from the antigen and floats away as a free antibody. Once the antibody has been formed, it is memorized into the body and in case of second attack with the same antigen; there will be numerous production of the antibody that always leads to faster clearance of the antigen hence faster recovery from the antigenic attack. 2. Evaluate the effects of mass immunization programmers Immunization is the introduction of attenuated or killed antigens into the body of healthy persons such that the body can be triggered to produce in response, antibodies that will combat live antigens of the same nature in future. Vaccines are very specific and when one is immunized a gains a certain disease; they only become protected against that disease and not any other. Immunization can be active or passive depending on the nature of the antigen that are used to make the body respond through antibody production (Plotkin 2006). Immunization is therefore scheduled when there s an outbreak of a disease in the offing. Mass immunization is therefore an immunization program that is intended for a large number of people within one or several places in relatively short time. Mass immunization is therefore able to provide control for contagious diseases that are envisaged