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The hidden epidemic of depression... in people over 60.

Antidepressant use INCREASES WITH AGE in the US.

https://twitter.com/ChrisPalmerMD/status/1737086964262682947

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cdc.gov/nchs/products/…

When providers talk to people about changing their health behaviors— eating less or exercising more—they often get similar answers: “It’s too hard,” or, “I don’t have enough energy.” 🧵 These answers are almost always met with strong disapproval. They are viewed as excuses for laziness, or signs of not taking the issue seriously enough, or of a lack of discipline.

Defining what "dysfunction" means is difficult and has been a challenge to scientists; it can mean very different things in different research studies. 🧵 The same can be said for cars. If a car is “dysfunctional,” what does that mean? It could mean that the engine sputters when traveling down the highway.

Let’s talk about #mitochondria and #mentalhealth. Specifically, mitochondrial dysfunction…

Mitochondrial dysfunction is the term most frequently used to describe impairment in mitochondrial function. 🧵 The diseases and illnesses that have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction are widespread, and the list includes almost all of the psychiatric disorders.

A #health lesson 🧵

If a plant isn’t thriving, you should give it more water, right?

Well… yes, sometimes.

Less water?

Well… yes, sometimes. Maybe try more sunlight?

Well, yes, sometimes.

Less sunlight?

Well, yes, sometimes.

Ready for a quick #science lesson? 🧵

In your body, energy needs to be produced in the right amount, in the right place, at the right time, and it goes through an unimaginably fast recycling process that involves #mitochondria. The #mitochondria that aren’t moving appear to stay in places where things are always happening—either near factories where proteins are made (ribosomes) or synapses where there is a lot of activity, which is a very important fact relevant to how the #brain functions.