# cronic anxity



## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

i heard something to the effect that long term anxity can damage the neurologic system.anyone hear of this?do you have a link you could share regaurding this?


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## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

Hi Denny. I think I may have a few relevant articles on this - I'll look them out over the next few days. To start with... this is mainly about depression, but I wonder if it holds true for anxiety too. An occupational therapist at a local M.E/CFS centre told me that having depression may play a role in developing CFS. Depression can depress the _immune _ system.Depression is a neurbiological issue - "the mind does not exist without the brain". Depression involves biochemical changes in the brain - changes in the neurotransmitters (the chemicals that carries signals between the nerve cells - including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine). So, depression can be a result of changes in the neurotransmitters. I don't know if depression can cause these changes though.


> quote:so far the strongest case has been made for dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal *(HPA) axis--the system that manages the body's response to stress. When a threat to physical or psychological well-being is detected, * the hypothalamus amplifies production of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which induces the pituitary to secrete ACTH. ACTH then instructs the adrenal gland atop each kidney to release cortisol. *Together all the changes prepare the body to fight or flee and cause it to shut down activities that would distract from self-protection. * For instance, cortisol enhances the delivery of fuel to muscles. At the same time, CRF depresses the appetite for food and sex and heightens alertness. *Chronic activation of the HPA axis, however, may lay the ground for illness * and, it appears, for depression. http://www.sciam.com/1998/0698issue/0698nemeroff.html


So, being constantly alert to stress has effects on our health. I would have thought this was as much to do with anxiety as depression. This isn't very well thought out, I'll try and find some more relevant info for you. Maybe some others will know?


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## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

thanks susan.i might be wrong but i was thinking it was something about adrinalin being in the system constantly.very interesting about the depression though.sheesh,what a tangled web our bodies weave.


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