Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist's Hands-On Approach to Activating Your Brain's Healing Power

by Kelly Lambert

Book Overview

Today's young adults are up to ten times more likely to experience depression than their grandparents were. Could it be that in our increasingly automated world, the reduced physical effort needed to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465037720
• ISBN13: 9780465037728
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Basic Books (AZ)
• Length: 289 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Not only for the depressed

This is a fascinating book and her tips are useful for nearly everyone, not just depressed people.

LEND OURSELVES A HAND

What is it about productive thoughts, when converted to actual results, provide our brain that 'just-rite' dose of neurochemicals, that present our minds with 'that-feelin' of contented pleasure? Dr. Kelly Lambert should have received a multitude of 'neuro-bombs' in her synaptic clefts, [before-during-after] the production of this most enlightening book... LIFTING DEPRESSION. The 'meat-n-taters' of this work are geared around the Effort-Driven Reward [EDR] circuit of our brain that consist of the following: o- Nucleus Accumbens ...pleasure center o- Striatum ...motor system o- Prefrontal Cortex ...cognitive thinking/planning/decision/memory o- Limbic System ...emotion and learning These 'rewards' are NOT confined to the physical effort alone, but involve complex thought processes within the realms of anticipation/expectation. When we anticipate... [MORE]-activity occurs in the pleasure center of the brain (nucleus accumbens) than actually achieving a task. The accumbens is positioned between the brain's motor system (striatum), which controls our movements, and the (limbic system), a collection of structures involved in emotion and learning. The accumbens is a MAJOR LINK between our emotions and our actions. Finally, all of these components connect/filter thru the (prefrontal cortex), where our cognitive thought processes, planning, decision-making and such blend into the mix. In fact, she claims practically every major symptom of depression correlates with a brain part on this circuit. Loss of pleasure?-(nucleus accumbens)...Sluggishness/slow motor responses?-(striatum)...Negative feelings?-(limbic system)...Poor concentration?-(prefrontal cortex). Dr. Lambert's message of a "HANDS-ON" approach to the constructive oriented effort, tends to activate/fire-off the neurons that seek out to connect these areas/regions/structures/components that mystically provide a happy/content/pleasing effect on our mind. Yet, in the absence of such motion/motor/manual activity, depressive symptom(s) are more likely to emerge. Finally, Dr. Lambert includes impressive research on rats, that verify the claims made above and within the book as well. She promotes the nonpharmcological treatment for depression strongly based in the [EDR] approach, which includes not only constructive hand skills- (knitting/gardening/carpentry/art/cooking/etc.) but basic (exercise/walking/swimming/gaming/etc.) all common sense stuff we all should "know", but now have more empirical evidence that ought to convince us to ..." LEND OURSELVES A HAND ". I would also recommend: SPARK ...the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. By: Dr. John J. Ratey ;he claims you can supercharge your mental circuits to beat stress, sharpen your thinking, lift your mood, boost your memory and much more....

Recommended for both health libraries and general-interest lending collections alike

Depression is a devastating condition which immobilizes millions each year: that's why LIFTING DEPRESSION: A NEUROSCIENTIST'S HANDS-ON APPROACH TO ACTIVATING YOUR BRAIN'S HEALING POWER is so wide-ranging and important, recommended for both health libraries and general-interest lending collections alike. New research with rats (whose brains are similar to humans) leads to identification of a circuit in the human brain responsible for negative thinking and depression - and also shows how hands-on physical activities yield rewards and fight depression. Even knitting or gardening works to stimulate the body's own depression-fighting chemicals: LIFTING DEPRESSION is a solid move to individual freedom. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch