Don’t forget to take care of your physical health as it can change brain structure and also lead to depression! (www.https://mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/news-and-events/pathways-linking-organ-and-brain-health,-and-impacts-to-mental-health-revealed)
Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda wrote in his poem Ode to the liverargued that the liver, more than the heart or the brain, should be appreciated for its complex functions. But have you ever considered that your liver or heart could be the cause of your anxiety or depression?
A new study has uncovered a surprising connection between the health of your organs and your mental wellbeing. This isn’t just another health tip—this research shows that poor organ health could be secretly restructuring your brain, making you more vulnerable to depression and anxiety.
This large-scale study by the University of Melbourne, University College London and the University of Cambridge was published in Nature Mental Health and analyzed data from over 18,000 participants from the UK Biobank.
The results? Participants with poorer physical health, especially with regard to liver, heart and immune system, had significantly more depressive symptoms.
Also read: New study finds link between obesity and depression in adults
Associated with changes in brain structure
But it goes even deeper: These physical complaints were linked to changes in brain structure, which could be the hidden reason for the deterioration in mental health.
“This is significant work because we have shown the link between physical health and depression and anxiety, and how individual changes partly affect brain structure,” said Professor Andrew Zalesky of the Departments of Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering.
The results of the study suggest that poor physical health of several organ systems, such as the liver and heart, the immune system, and the muscles and bones, can lead to subsequent changes in brain structure.
“These structural changes in the brain can lead to or worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as neuroticism,” added Prof. Zalesky.
Meanwhile, Dr Ye Ella Tian, the study’s lead author from the University of Melbourne’s Department of Psychiatry, said: “Our findings highlight the complex relationship between physical and mental health. Poor organ health can lead to structural changes in the brain, which in turn can worsen mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.”
Also read: Can Ayurvedic medicines cure obesity and depression?
Why is this study important?
Imagine: What if your next anxiety attack was caused by something as seemingly unrelated as your liver health?
“This study provides strong evidence that the health of your body plays a crucial role in your mental state,” said Professor Andrew Zalesky, another lead author of the study.
This research, the researchers say, is an important advance in understanding the mind-body connection, and challenges us to look beyond traditional treatments for mental illness and consider how improving physical health can be an integral part of treating depression and anxiety.
The study calls for a fundamental shift in the way we approach mental health – we should stop focusing on the mind and instead take a holistic approach that looks at the body as a whole. The researchers explain that when the organs are in top shape, it may be time to rethink mental health care too.
“This study challenges us to rethink our approach to mental health. It shows that physical health is not just skin deep – it goes right into the brain!” said a senior doctor. South first.
Professor Andrew Zalesky says this is significant work because we have shown how changes in brain structure due to poor physical health can lead to mental health problems. Healthcare providers need to understand this connection when treating patients.
Also read: Ketamine tablets with sustained release relieve depression symptoms
Did you know about metabolic psychiatry?
Senior Consultant and Interventional Psychiatrist at MANAS Institute of Mental Health, Hubballi in Karnataka, Dr Alok Kulkarni, who was not involved in the study, appreciated the study and said: South first“Converging lines of evidence increasingly point to a reciprocal relationship between physical and mental health.”
He explained that there is now evidence that better physical and metabolic health is associated with better mental health.
“Recently, an entire specialty called metabolic psychiatry has emerged. Sleep, diet, exercise and substance abuse are all factors that determine metabolic health. Poor metabolic health leads to increased cortisol production in the body and brain and resulting low-grade inflammation,” adds Dr. Kulkarni.
He said depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, anxiety and a host of other psychiatric disorders are inextricably linked to poor physical and metabolic health.
“It only makes sense to focus on sleep, diet, exercise and metabolic health in our interventions so that we can achieve better clinical outcomes,” he said.
This interdisciplinary approach is gaining importance as research increasingly shows that metabolic disorders – such as insulin resistance, inflammation and imbalances in the gut microbiome – can significantly affect brain function and contribute to mental illness.
The implications of this study are far-reaching and encourage both healthcare professionals and patients to take a more integrative approach to their health.
Maintaining good physical health through appropriate lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and sleep may be an effective tool in combating mental health problems.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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